All The Time in the World
by SophieSaulie
Summary: Sam finds a way to get Dean out of the deal, but will Dean go for it and what will Sam have to sacrifice?
1. Chapter 1

**All the Time in the World**

**CHAPTER ONE:**

Sam watched with wonder at his big brother, cleaning and polishing the Impala with loving care as if he didn't have a worry in the world, as if he weren't facing Hell in a year's time.

"I have to save him," Sam thought to himself.

A year. That's all Sam had. He had to figure out a way to break the deal in just a year. He could no more lose Dean than Dean could accept losing him. As much as he wanted to lecture Dean about what he had done, he couldn't. He would have done the same thing.

Bobby walked up beside him and placed a reassuring hand on Sam's shoulder, already knowing what were in his thoughts because there were his own as well. He looked over at Dean and couldn't help, but smile. Their last conversation had been gut wrenching for him. It had been as if his own son had told him that he was going to Hell. It hurt Bobby to watch Dean take such pleasure in buffing the Impala knowing his fate. He looked so happy, so free.

Though a part of him was still grief-stricken at what Dean had done, Bobby also felt an undeniable, fatherly pride for him. He had seen no regrets in Dean's eyes. Bobby knew Dean would do it again in a heartbeat. It wasn't hard to see that. But for Bobby, Dean's selfless act was diminished by the knowledge that both he and Sam didn't have much time left. It was bittersweet to see Dean so unburdened, at least for now, after witnessing what the agony of losing Sam had done to him. He had a tired innocence about him now.

Knowing that their father had done the same for him, and going through all that he had suffered because of that choice, hadn't deterred Dean from doing the same thing for Sam. Dean had thought of it as finally returning the favor his father had paid him, to make his dad's sacrifice mean something. Dean knew that his father would have approved of his choice. Though he had hoped that Sam would never find out about what he had done, Bobby knew that it would have been impossible to keep it from him for very long. Sam had known something was wrong from the start, and after what Jake had said to him, it was all but confirmed. He had just needed to hear the truth from Dean himself. Once he had broken Dean down and had gotten his answers, much to Dean's dismay, the mission had become all about saving him.

"We'll find a way, Sam," Bobby said.

"I hope so," Sam said. "Look at him, Bobby. How can he be so calm about this?"

Bobby smiled again.

"He has all he needs right now," Bobby said simply. "You should have seen him before, Sam. He was a ghost, an empty shell without you."

"But he's going to…" Sam said, unable to bring himself to say the words.

"I know. He knows, too, make no mistake. He's not running from it, but he went through his own kind of Hell when he lost you. First and foremost, his mission was to get you back no matter what the cost. Now that you are, nothing else matters, not even facing Hell."

"I know it's selfish to question what he did, but I can't help it. I mean, when Dad did the same thing, he nearly lost it. Does he really think I'll get over it any better?"

"I don't think he even thought about that at the time. He knew what he had to do and just did it. He couldn't let you die. He so much as told me that. It wasn't in him to accept it. Once he had it in his head to save you, nothing was going to change it," Bobby paused. "Sometimes I wonder if I hadn't left him…maybe I could have stopped him, but I know now, looking into his eyes, that nothing could have stopped him."

"I know and I would have done the same thing," Sam said. "He's saved my life so many times. I have to save him, Bobby. I can't let him die."

Bobby felt a shiver of déjà vu with Sam's words. Dean had said very much the same thing. It amazed him how close these brothers were, how devoted they were to each other. John had done right by them. He had instilled an unbreakable bond between them.

"We'll find a way, Sam, but it can't be by sacrificing your soul to do it. To be honest, I don't think you could now. They know about you and Dean. It's why the demon only gave him a year. They won't be making any more deals. Besides, we have to find a way that will keep the both of you whole. Making deals with demons is never a sure-fire guarantee. There are bigger prices to pay than just your soul," Bobby said with the voice of someone who had long years of experience as a hunter to back up his claim.

Sam nodded and looked over at Dean. He couldn't help but wonder what Dean was thinking.

**oooo**

Dean watched the wax diminish with every careful swipe of the cloth upon the smooth black, mirrored surface, and allowed the joy of the purely mundane task of polishing his "baby" to fill him. He relished in the simple act. It seemed as if he were wiping away all the pain he had felt when he had lost Sam, erasing the scuffs and scrapes on his battered heart. It had taken the worst beating it had ever endured, even more than when they had lost their father, and had barely survived. Still, it had all been worth it. He couldn't regret it. Sam was here, back with him and he wouldn't let anything take away the triumph he felt.

As he continued to buff the Impala, his thoughts strayed to the djinn's false world and how much he had longed to stay in it. Of course, being there with his mom, alive and happy, and with Sam, in love with Jessica, facing marriage and a successful career, had been the real temptations to staying. But, he also remembered the little things too, the seemingly infinitesimal details of the fantasy that had come from his wish as well. He had remembered how just mowing the lawn for his mom had given him a boyish delight. The irony in his mother's words of how he was acting as if he had never done it before had been touchingly funny. He hadn't…ever. There were so many things he hadn't done in his life, things that may not rank in importance compared to saving lives from harm at the hands of evil, but he'd give anything to experience them before he left this world.

Though he had scoffed about living the suburban life, suddenly just then, he had realized it hadn't been the lifestyle of tract homes he had longed for, but the life _within_ those homes. The uncomplicated laughter of children playing in front yards, fearing nothing more than facing their parents with bad grades; the backyard barbecues and conversations where the words, "demons", "vampires", and "evil" rarely entered. Normal. The kind of normal that Sam had always longed to achieve, Dean now understood and longed for himself, but he accepted that it was not the life he was meant to live. Much as he wished otherwise, things had happened for a reason. He still maintained that he didn't believe in destiny, but if there was some kind of plan for him, it was to save and protect Sam so that maybe he could have a chance at that normal life. Seeing Sam alive was worth everything he had done. He would relish in the small mercies he could have, like polishing his Impala, the car that had been passed on to him by his father, and having Sam by his side in the passenger seat.

A year. He only had a year of life left to him and he knew he would spend most of what remained doing what he has always done, the "family business". But unlike the months before, where he had allowed his self-pity to nearly destroy him and Sam along with him, he felt a renewed sense of purpose now. He had seen his father emerge from Hell and save his life. It gave Dean hope that their father might have finally achieved some peace. Hope had come in meager quantities, if it came at all, so Dean allowed himself to feel it. When he had looked into his father's tearful eyes and had seen his proud smile, he knew that he could face whatever was awaiting him in Hell with the same kind of dogged stubbornness as his father had. He only hoped that he, too, would emerge as whole and heroic as his father had. He could live with that fate for his father, for himself, and especially for Sammy. For the next year, he would find and give that meaning to his life he had told Bobby about. He would not squander his time with Sam with any more recriminations over whether the choice he had made was the right one. He knew it had been. It was evidenced in Sam's flesh and blood reality. He would trade his soul a thousand times for that.

"There you go, baby. I'm sorry I've been neglecting you lately. I had to get Sam back, you know. You understand, right?" Dean said with a shaky grin. "I'll hate leaving you behind, but where I'm going, you can't come with me. Besides, I didn't work my ass off to put you back together only to have your paint job ruined."

Dean laughed and then swallowed hard.

"I had to bring him back…I'd do it again."

Dean found tears welling in his eyes as he polished the steel skin of his faithful motorized steed. It had kept him safe and had never failed him until it, too, had been damaged as he had. They both had finally healed. She had come out of it more whole than he had, but both of them would carry scars that could never be buffed out completely.

"God, I'm actually going to miss you, but I'm leaving you with Sam so you'll be safe. He may not treat you as well as I do, but he'll protect you. He won't let you end up in some scrap yard," Dean smiled then it faded. "I'm counting on you to protect him too, 'kay?"

Dean couldn't help, but pour his feelings out to his black beauty. The dam that had held back his emotions for so long had been destroyed when he had lost Sam and until he could shore it back up again, he couldn't stop the feelings from coming.

"You've been there for me from the beginning…just like Dad and just like Sam. We've been through some tough times, haven't we? I hope I'll make you proud," Dean smiled for a second then stared off absently. "Hell, I hope I'll make them proud."

Sam inadvertently heard Dean's conversation with the car as he approached. He stopped and listened then under his breath he said, "You already do."

**oooo**

Dean had decided to take matters into his own hands. He had decided to drive to the local take out place to get food that was more than just microwaveable frozen dinners. He was getting that mini-mart déjà vu he so hated. Sam had offered to come with him, but the memory of losing Sam at that diner was still too raw for Dean. He also needed a few minutes away from Sam's worried expression. Sam had been researching how to save him from moment one of finding out about his deal and how long he had. Dean appreciated the concern, and had let Sam's expressed conviction about saving him at the cowboy cemetery to reassure him that Sam would be with him through this. He hadn't told him then about the "catch" to the deal. Dean couldn't break his spirit like that, not so soon after hearing about the deal. He'd let Sam hope, but he knew he'd have to tell him eventually. He had fully intended to keep the deal from Sam, but once Sam knew, Dean had never expected to feel guilty for putting him through so much. He needed to find a way to tell Sam that he was wasting his time without hurting him. There won't be an "out" for him, not without sacrificing Sam, and Dean would insist that was NOT an option.

After buying the food, he started heading back to the car, unconcern on his face, his hunter's instincts suspended for the simple act of bringing take-out food home. Suddenly, Dean felt something creep into his body. A rising pain that had no source began to envelope him, not enough to completely drive him to his knees, but with a strong enough pull that he had to brace himself against the wall, the bags of food dropped to the floor and forgotten.

"What the –" He muttered, not understanding why he was aflame with pain.

He tried breathing deeply through it, but it wasn't working, all he could get out was short, rapid breaths. He clenched his eyes closed and groaned. He felt himself getting weaker and needed to sit before he fell. He grasped at a nearby bench and dropped his body into it. Only then, did the pain start to subside. He grunted his breaths and closed his eyes again to keep the room from spinning. When he opened them, he saw a young woman with shoulder-length black hair and reddish highlights bending over him, a look of concern on her face.

"You all right?" She asked.

Dean nodded and took in a deep breath.

"I'm fine. Thanks," he evaded.

The woman then smiled, but it wasn't from relief or comfort. The smile had a chillingly malevolent familiarity about it. She bent closer to Dean's ear so as not to be heard by anyone else.

"How does it feel, huh? Dying nice and slow," she asked.

Dean recoiled away from her. He had a look of shock written on his face as her words connected to the one person, the one thing that had wanted him dead from the moment he had sent her to Hell.

"Meg?" He said startled.

"No, it's Sam now, well, Samantha, really, but I like Sam, don't you?" She taunted. "Couldn't resist. I love being a girl anyway."

"You son of a-" He said, his face contorting in anger.

"Don't you mean daughter?" She teased, but then her face became filled with anger. "Thought you could get away with killing my father?"

"I already did," Dean smiled with grim satisfaction. "So, what are you going to do about it? Kill me? Hate to disappoint you, but someone else's beaten you to it, sister."

"So I heard. Oh, but Dean, there are worse things than dying and you're about to find that out. I'm just here to get a front row seat. You see, you're not getting off as easy as your daddy did. Oh no, not by a long shot. You're just not gonna drop dead when your time ends or have some hell hounds rip you to shreds. That would be too easy for Dean Winchester. I'm going to get to watch you die slowly and painfully. In fact, I'm counting on seeing an Oscar-worthy performance."

Meg laughed as she moved in closer to rub her cheek against his.

"I'll be around, Dean," she whispered seductively, "Tell Sam 'hi' for me. Oh, and if you want a last lay before you go, I'll be happy to oblige."

Meg started walking away and Dean was helpless to stop her. The pain had left him too weak to stand and he wasn't packing. As he watched her fade into the crowd, he laid his head back in exhaustion. He had to warn Sam and Bobby. He braced himself up from the bench, testing to see if his legs could hold him up. Once he had himself steadied, he took slow and tentative steps. As more of the pain eased, he was able to get to the car and his head finally cleared enough where he could drive back.

"Damn it!"

**oooo**

"Meg?" Sam said, shock in his voice.

"Yeh, that's what **I** said, " Dean said.

He had reported back to Sam and Bobby about his encounter with Meg, but not about the pain he had suffered. Telling them about seeing her was scary enough. He couldn't tell Sam that his trip downstairs was going to be a long and painful road. He knew he wouldn't be able to hide it from him for long, not if what Meg had said was true, but for now, it was more important to protect themselves from her.

"You still have the charm that Bobby gave you, right?" Dean asked, his hunter instincts back in place as well as his big brother protectiveness.

"Yeh, yeh, I do," Sam confirmed.

"Good."

"You?" Sam asked.

Dean nodded.

"Did she give you any other clues as to what might be coming?" Bobby continued to query.

"No, just that she wants a front row seat to my stairway to Hell."

"Don't joke about this, Dean. Meg could have a plan with someone else who also escaped from Hell," Sam said.

"I just think Hell wants me and she's the welcoming committee," Dean reluctantly admitted.

"Well, I don't care what she wants, she isn't getting you," Sam said with the conviction that Dean had always admired about him. "Not yet! Not EVER!"

"Sam…" Dean tried to argue back softly.

"I'm going back to researching," Sam said and left the room.

Dean looked over at Bobby with sadness in his eyes.

"I wish he would just stop…there's nothing he can do."

"You don't know that. Not even I know that for sure."

Dean hung his head, closed his eyes and licked his lips.

"Bobby, there's something you have to know," Dean paused. "There was a catch to the deal."

Bobby stared at Dean, wide-eyed, and braced himself for the bad news he knew was coming.

"What is it?" He asked.

Dean swallowed thickly.

"If I renege on it, all bets are off and Sam dies," Dean sighed. "I can't let that happen, Bobby. I won't let that happen."

Bobby shook his head again. These brothers' need to protect each other would be the death of him someday.

"You won't convince him to stop, you know that, don't you? Even if you do tell him."

"Yeh, I know. I'm not expecting him to find anything, but if he does…I'll have to…" Dean took in a breath. "I'll tell him then. I can't take away his hope, not until I have to."

Bobby could only nod. He knew better than to try to talk sense to Dean, especially when it came to Sam. In a way, Bobby wished Dean hadn't told him about the catch. He hadn't wanted his hopes taken away either.

**oooo**

**TBC**

**Thanks to Tiffany for beta-ing this story for keeping the inspiration going.**


	2. Chapter 2

**All the Time in the World**

**CHAPTER TWO:**

Sam poured over the many books splayed across Bobby's tiny table. He picked up book after book, trying to find something, but was distressed at only finding dead ends. Finally, out of frustration, he hurled a book across the room and against a bookcase. He ran his hands through his hair and rubbed his eyes to keep them from tearing up. Time was running out and he could hear it ticking away in his head. He couldn't lose his concentration or focus, but sometimes it was hard not to wish he could turn the clock all the way back to just before Jake had stabbed him. He wished that he had been more careful then and had not let his guard down, but he had been so relieved to hear Dean's voice calling out to him. He thought he was home free. Now he wished that he hadn't turned his back on Jake. He should have known better than to think that he could have knocked him out completely. A surge of hatred filled his being at the cost Jake had exacted. At the cemetery, he had felt enraged for what Jake had done and killing him had felt good for a split second. It was almost as if all of the pent up anger and loss had flowed out of him and he hadn't been able stop it. He had felt no remorse at ending Jake's life and that had scared him. It still scared him. He couldn't shake the taste of satisfaction. Even more worrisome, he didn't want to.

Sam shook his morbid thoughts away. He didn't have the luxury to analyze what had caused him to lose it. He had to save Dean. He HAD to. Dean may have accepted his fate, but Sam never would. He had meant every word he had said to him. There was NOTHING that he wouldn't do for him. Sam couldn't break his promise to save Dean's ass as much for himself as for Dean. Dean had been forced to make so many hard choices because of promises he had been asked to keep. Dean had paid the highest price of all to save him, yet he kept insisting that it had been worth it. Sam had to find a way to make up for all the times Dean had put him first. Dean had sacrificed one thing or another so that Sam could stay a kid for as long as he could, so that Sam could go to college, so that Sam wouldn't be alone facing his worst fears. It had been Dean at every cornerstone. It was impossible to imagine Dean not being there for the next one. And Sam knew there would be others. The yellow-eyed demon might be dead, but the secret he had held back from Dean about drinking the demon's blood still haunted him.

As he let his eyes wander across the bindings of all of Bobby's books, he gazed back to where he had thrown the book. He noticed a title on one of them, _The Devil and Daniel Webster_. It brought a small, growing smile to his face. Leave it to Bobby to even have fiction that dealt with the supernatural. His eyes then widened in realization and he rushed over to take the book off the shelf. He flipped through it quickly then started to read it. If his English class memory served, this was the book that held the answer. He could only hope that fiction would find root in reality.

**oooo**

"I've got it!!" Sam yelled as he walked into the room where Dean and Bobby were drinking beers together.

"Got what?" Dean asked, a worried expression on his face.

"The way to save you."

Bobby and Dean exchanged puzzled glances.

"What?" Dean said disbelieving.

"I found this book, _The Devil and Daniel Webster_ on Bobby's bookshelf and I remembered it from high school English class. It's about a man, Daniel Webster, who bargains with the Devil, Mr. Scratch, to break a contract he had made with a farmer named Jabez Stone, essentially taking him to court to prove that fighting for freedom was every man's right, that even the most traitorous man had fought for that right."

"Sam, you've lost me. That's a work of fiction. It's not like the Key of Solomon or something that's real to this world," Bobby argued.

"Yes, it is, Bobby. All I have to do is convince the Devil or a demon that has the power to break Dean's contract that Dean is too good for Hell," Sam said, smiling as if the task were as easy as setting a court date.

"Sammy, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but you need to get some sleep, you're losing it," Dean said, more concerned now that Sam was losing his mind over finding a way to save him.

"No, Dean, I've never been more clear-headed. Don't you see? It makes perfect sense! You've saved so many people. It doesn't make any sense that you should be sent to Hell."

"Sammy, lots of good people have gone to Hell from the deals they made…better people than me. Remember the architect, Sean Boyden and that doctor, Sylvia Perlman? And look at Dad? He didn't deserve to go to Hell, but he did…to save me…" Dean said, his voice choking with emotion. "Look at mom…you can't tell me she deserved to die. She was just checking up on you and…"

Dean swallowed. It never ceased to amaze him how painful the loss still felt even after 23 years. Seeing their mom alive in the djinn fantasy only to lose her once again, had made him feel like he was 4 years old all over again. Reliving the horror, feeling the pain of knowing he'd never see her again, had been just as devastating as it had been then.

"I know, Dean," Sam said softly, easing the edge of excitement in his voice for Dean's sake.

Sam knew the losses were still raw for Dean. Sam had always admired Dean's ability to resist being tricked, to always find some inner strength to keep him from giving into the temptation of an unreal world or to be able to handle an untenable situation. Sam knew that it took everything Dean had to stay in the real world, but he had, and Sam knew it had been because of him. The only time Dean had let his needs cloud his judgment was when he had made the deal with the crossroads demon for Sam's life. Dean had let his desperation override his hunter's instincts and his innate distrust of a demon's words. His heart had been breaking, and bringing Sam back was all that had mattered to him. The sense of sacrifice Dean possessed was noble to his detriment, but Sam couldn't hold it against him. How could he? Dean had done it for him, just like he always had all their lives.

"I know that Mom and Dad didn't deserve to die," Sam said gently. "We couldn't save them or Sean Boyden and Sylvia Perlman, but we did save Evan Hudson and I have a chance to save you. I may have found the demon equivalent of a legal loophole."

Dean shook his head.

"Sam –"

"Hear me out, Dean. I know I can do this. I just need to do a little more digging to call up the right demon, I mean, I know the odds of calling up the Devil are remote and I know that would be pretty risky –"

"Sam, stop," Dean said tiredly.

"Dean, this is your chance. This will work. I know it. I can get you out of this –"

"STOP IT, SAM!" Dean yelled, not meaning to, but unable to handle Sam's excitement over something that he couldn't let happen.

Sam froze, his eyes wide with a mix of confusion and fear.

"Dean? What? Why aren't you excited about this?" Sam said more calmly.

Dean looked away.

"Because it can't work…"

"It's worth trying."

"No, Sammy, that's not what I mean," Dean said. "There was a catch to the deal."

"What?" Sam asked, shocked. "What kind of deal did you make, Dean? And I want the truth. I want to know everything!"

Dean heaved a heavy sigh. He had been afraid of this moment, but knew it was coming.

"The crossroads demon…she said that if I tried to get out of the deal…" Dean found himself choking up and hated that he couldn't stop it from happening, "the deal was off and you'd be dead again."

Sam was speechless and he felt his knees buckling from underneath him. He sank into the nearest chair.

"I won't let that happen, Sammy. You can say whatever you want, but I won't."

"How could you make a deal like that?" Sam asked, trying not to sound accusatory, but he could feel his hope dying inside him and couldn't help the tone seeping through.

"What does it matter now? It's done. I'd have taken anything if it meant getting you back."

Sam's face had a far away look as Dean faced him.

"I'm sorry, Sammy, but that's just the way it's gotta be," Dean insisted softly.

Dean became worried when Sam stayed silent. A quiet Sam wasn't normal.

"Sam?"

"What exactly did the demon say?" Sam asked, his mind racing to formulate answers.

"It doesn't matter –"

"Just tell me EXACTLY what she said," Sam insisted, his expression was a mix of anger and anxiety.

Dean was confused by Sam's reaction and it scared him. It was like he wasn't hearing him.

"She said if I welched or weaseled my way out, the deal was off."

Sam nodded as if Dean's answer was just what he was expecting to hear.

"What?" Dean asked. "You're scaring me, Sam."

"Bobby, when you gave us the Key of Solomon, I remember reading that when demons make deals they hold the victim to the letter of the deal. Do you remember that?"

Bobby, at first, was just as confused as Dean until Sam brought up the Key of Solomon.

"Yeh, yeh, I do," Bobby said, letting a little excitement seep into his voice when he understood what Sam was getting at.

"Do we still have a chance?" Sam asked him.

"Yeh, I think we do, Sam," Bobby confirmed with a smile, his hope rising again.

"Can you two please tell me what the hell you're talking about?" Dean asked with frustration.

Sam turned around and faced Dean. He was overflowing from changing emotions, first excitement, then anguish, but then back to the hope he was feeling earlier.

"Dean, the demon said that **you** couldn't welch or weasel out of the deal, but that doesn't mean that Bobby or I can't get you out of it. Get it?"

"No, no, you can't be sure about that. I think she meant that I couldn't get out of the deal. Period. End of story."

"No, Dean, Sam's right. The Key of Solomon makes it clear that when demons make deals they have to be very specific and careful about how they're struck because there are ways to get of out of them if they aren't. If a loophole is found, they have to honor it. Doesn't mean they'll like it, but those are their rules. The demon made a big mistake by telling you that **you**, in particular, couldn't weasel out of the deal. She didn't say that no one could get you out of it and that's key."

Dean took in a shaky breath.

"That night, the yellow-eyed demon told me that demons couldn't resurrect people unless a deal is made. It joked about it being red tape."

"It was right about that," Bobby confirmed.

"We have to do this. I know it will work," Sam said, his face was alight with hope again.

Dean then let his protective instincts take over again.

"No, it's too dangerous. Something could go wrong. I can't risk it. I can't ask you or Bobby to do this. You could both die."

"First off, I can make up my own mind and I'm too old to be told what to do and second…" Bobby said, the look in his eyes was of fatherly affection, "I want to do this."

"And you know how stubborn I can be," Sam joked.

Dean couldn't help but let himself hope as his dear friend and pain-in-the-butt little brother tried to convince him that he was worth their determination.

"Okay," Dean relented finally, "but on one condition. You can't give up your souls or your lives for me, you hear me? If you can't promise me that, then it's a no-go."

Sam looked at his brother with a kind of awe that belied the deep sadness in his heart. Dean would never consider sacrifice for his sake to be acceptable. Sam didn't think he could make that promise to him and keep it.

"Dean, your dad did you and Sam right by instilling in you boys the loyalty you have for each other and I've seen the lengths to you'll go to each other, especially you. But damn it, if I know where the HELL you EVER got the idea that you're not worthy of being saved, that for some reason, only you get to do the sacrificing. Your dad thought you were worth it. THAT'S why he made that deal with the demon. He LOVED you. He loved you both and he knew in his heart that you needed each other. You were his sons. It's what fathers do for their children. It's also what brothers do for each other. If you think your dad sacrificed himself for nothing to bring you back then you must think that Sam feels the same way about your sacrifice. Do you really think that, Dean?" Bobby confronted gently. "Do you really believe that Sam thinks he's better off without you?"

Dean looked into Bobby's eyes and felt a touch of guilt stab his heart. Sam smiled shakily back at him, his emotions perilously threatening to break the surface.

"Dean, please let me help you. Please let me do this for you," Sam softly pleaded.

"And I, for one, don't give a rat's ass what you want me to promise. I'm going to do whatever it takes to save you," Bobby said in his characteristic off-handed way.

Sam smiled at Bobby and was grateful that he had taken the step to put Dean "in his place". He knew that if those words had come from him, Dean would never have accepted them. Dean bowed his head, as close to contrite as Sam had ever seen him, then shifted his gaze towards him.

"I guess I don't have to ask if you agree with him," Dean grunted out in mild displeasure.

"You know I do," Sam said, still smiling.

Dean's face softened.

"Okay, so what do we do next?"

**oooo**

**TBC**

**Thanks to Tiffany for beta-ing this story and for keeping the inspiration going.**


	3. Chapter 3

**All the Time in the World**

**CHAPTER THREE:**

All three men were gathered around Bobby's table pouring over every book he owned hoping to find the answers they needed. Bobby even called fellow hunters who had additional books and resources that he thought might help. Dean was trying to focus his eyes on the text he was trying to read, but he was never any good at research or had the patience for it. He was losing his concentration and his eyes were swimming. He was rubbing the strain out of them when a sharp pain caught him by surprise and he clenched them closed. He recognized the punch of pain as like the one he had felt at the fast food restaurant when he had seen Meg. This one was even stronger and hit harder than the other. He felt the intensity growing in strength rapidly, and his body began to sway and tremble with the rushing pain. Despite his best efforts, a moan escaped his lips. He tried to stand up while gripping the table white-knuckled to keep control, but couldn't and just grunted. He thought the tearing pain ripping his head open at the Road House had been as bad as he had ever felt, but this, this beat everything he had ever gone through. Demons so loved their torture.

Sam heard him groan and looked his way. He saw Dean drop his head down and heard his breathing change.

"Dean?"

Dean heard Sam call out to him, but he was too caught up in trying to gain control of the pain.

"Dean? What's wrong?" Sam asked again when he didn't get a response.

"S-Sam…" Dean grunted out with difficulty.

Sam immediately rushed over to him when he heard Dean struggle to utter his name.

Dean had always prided himself on his ability to control pain, keeping quiet even when it became almost unbearable. It was part of the job. You never wanted to reveal your presence. If you did, you were dead. But this…this was unlike anything he had ever felt before and he was slowly losing the battle to control it. It was cracking his threshold and quickly.

"Bobby!" Sam called out. "Something's happening to Dean."

Dean felt Sam reach for him, then Bobby joining him.

"Dean? What's going on?" Sam asked again.

Dean wanted to answer Sam, to reassure him somehow that he was okay, but he couldn't catch his breath to get the words out, and only the moans escaped his lips.

"Dean? Can you hear me?" Bobby asked.

Dean nodded then groaned again.

"Sam, help me get him to the couch to make him more comfortable."

When both men tried to guide Dean, he cried out, unable to hold back. He squeezed their supportive arms as he found himself curling up in agony. They finally got him to the couch and Dean could only breath in and out raggedly.

"Dean, tell me what I can do," Sam pleaded, his voice filled with fear and helplessness. "Bobby, I think we have to get him to a hospital. I've never seen him in this much pain before. Something's wrong."

Dean grabbed Sam's arm and shook his head.

"But you're in a lot of pain."

Finally, Dean felt the cutting pain ease just enough for him to get halting words out.

"No. Hospital. Can't. Help. Me," Dean sputtered out.

"What? How do you know? It might be an old injury –"

Dean shook his head again.

"It. Isn't. It's. Meg."

"Meg? Meg did this to you? Why didn't you tell me?" Sam asked in a rush of questions.

"She. Told. Me," Dean stuttered out.

"She told you what?" Sam asked, his anxiety was only building and his patience was running short trying to get his much needed answers.

Dean's body finally started to relax and he started to take in slow, struggling, deep breaths. He allowed himself to take a few more before trying to talk again.

"Meg told me…was going to die nice and slow," He forced out, even managing a shaky version of his characteristic, sarcastic smile. "No heart attack like Dad…no hellhounds nipping at my heels…no easy way out for me."

Sam looked at Dean, speechless, trying to understand what Dean had just told him and keep back his frustration at learning yet another detail Dean had chosen to keep from him. He knew he had no right to complain or cast blame. He still kept his own secrets from Dean.

"Still, the doctors, they might be able to –"

"Do what?" Dean confronted, his voice a rasp. "Keep me 'comfortable'? Not an option, Sam. I'm not going to lie around in a hospital bed. I'm not going to let Meg take me down that way…"

Sam looked at his brother's tired and drawn face, a face lined with too many undeserved years of taking responsibility, providing protection, and keeping their family alive and together by himself. Self-imposed? Yes. But Sam was determined not to leave Dean alone to face what was ahead. Dean had never done that to him. He had stayed steadfast by his side through every insecure and uncertain moment.

"Okay, I get it, Dean."

Dean felt the pain ebb away and he laid back, feeling utterly exhausted. He let unconsciousness envelope him without a fight. He had no reserves left. Sam looked at Dean and couldn't help but smile at Dean's dogged stubbornness. He turned to Bobby.

"We have to make this work, Bobby. I can't let the demon win."

"I know, Sam. Let's let him sleep and get back to work, huh?" Bobby said as he patted then squeezed Sam's shoulder, hoping to give him some comfort.

Sam could only nod.

**oooo**

Sam and Bobby let Dean sleep while they continued to research. Sam's eyes widened as he read through a passage from the book he was reading, mouthing the words as he read them. He broke into a smile.

"Bobby, I think I've found something," He said.

"What? What did you find?" Bobby asked excitedly as he rounded the table to read over Sam's shoulder.

"There's a demon who acts like a…I don't know what you'd call it, but it oversees the other demons who make the deals. It makes sure that the deal is finalized. It's the one who sends the hellhounds out to get the soul."

"Kind of a like a debt collector," Bobby supposed.

"Yeh, I guess kind of like that," Sam agreed.

"Can the demon be summoned?" Bobby asked.

"Yeh, with a specific ritual. I think we can do it."

"Does it say how a deal can be broken?"

Sam read further, Bobby following with his eyes as well.

"It says here we have to prove to it that it doesn't want Dean's soul so it'll reject the deal," Sam said dejectedly.

"Does it say how?" Bobby queried.

"It says here that only 'proof of deed and the declaration of those who would bear witness' can convince it to break a deal. I'm not sure what that means, Bobby."

"It means we have to show that Dean's soul would be as much of a pain in the ass in Hell as **he** is in life," Bobby joked to lighten the situation.

Sam allowed a smile to grace his face a little.

"Sam, Hell is Hell for both demons and humans. Meg so much as said so to Dean. Demons don't want to end up there any more than we humans do. Why do you think they work so hard to claw themselves out? But even in Hell, there are entities or souls that can make life there even worse. If a soul can overcome the torment placed upon it, it can exact its own by defying its tormentors and fighting back against the torture, both physically and mentally. It isn't easy. Most can't do it and just give into their fate, but some do fight it. It's not how evil a soul is that makes it strong. It's the purity and goodness of a soul that torments those in Hell. Think of it like having a high-pitched and relentless dog whistle constantly ripping into you. A good and uncorrupted soul would be like that to them. The minions of Hell would want to prevent a soul like that from entering or would want to cast one like it out."

Bobby paused, becoming pensive for a moment, then smiled.

"I can believe your daddy was probably a royal pain in their asses."

Sam chuckled softly at the thought.

"Yeh, I can too," he agreed, then he became serious again, "but how are we going to prove that they don't want Dean's soul?"

"Just like the book said, by 'proof of deed and the declaration of those who would bear witness'. We'll have to gather evidence of all that Dean's done and to have those who Dean has helped testify on his behalf about how he saved them. It's like what you read in _The Devil and Daniel Webster. _You'll have to defend Dean's deeds to the demon."

Sam blanched at the idea of bringing innocents into a risky situation. He didn't know if he could ask them to do it and he didn't think many, if any, would do it voluntarily no matter how grateful they were to Dean for helping them. He knew that if Dean ever found out about it, he'd never go for it.

"I don't know, Bobby. I'm not sure we should put innocents in danger like that. Like Dean would say, 'it's our fight'. I don't know if I would want anyone else's blood on my hands. I know that Dean would never want that."

"I know how you feel, Sam, but it's all we got. It's all Dean's got. It's about fighting for Dean's right to be freed from his contract and it might have to mean doing things that we don't like.

"You can't do it, Sam…" A weak and breathy voice said hoarsely beside them.

"Dean…"

"I mean it, Sam. I couldn't live with anyone getting hurt or worse because of me. It's one thing with you and Bobby. As much as I hate you two risking yourselves, at least you know what you're getting into, but innocents, I just…it's not worth it…I'm not…"

Dean then closed his eyes again unable to keep sleep at bay, but Sam and Bobby got the gist of how he felt.

"Bobby, I don't know what to do," Sam said, torn between wanting to save his brother and respecting his wishes.

Bobby looked into Sam's eyes and smiled.

"Yeh, you do, Sam."

**oooo**

**TBC**

**Thanks to Tiffany for beta-ing this story and for keeping the inspiration going. Thanks for reading and for your wonderful reviews, everyone! Hope you're enjoying it!**


	4. Chapter 4

**All the Time in the World**

**CHAPTER FOUR:**

Sam felt his heart race knocking on the door. It had been well over a year since he'd been there with Dean. He hoped they'd remember him and not be sorry to see him there. He heard the door latch click and took a deep breath to prepare himself for the door slamming back in his face. He saw her then and though it took her a few seconds, a surprised smile came to her face as recognition dawned.

"Sam?"

"Hi, Haley," Sam said, relief in his voice.

"What are you doing here? Come on in!" She encouraged as she opened the screen door for him.

Sam happily complied and walked into the familiar living room.

"Have a seat," Haley offered.

"Thanks. Where's Ben and Tommy?" Sam asked, as he sat down in a nearby couch, hoping to stall for a few more minutes so that he could find the right words to ask her to help Dean.

"Ben's in school and Tommy got a job at an outdoor recreation store," Haley smiled.

"How are they doing?"

"Ben's great. Tommy still has the occasional nightmare and he hasn't been able to go camping again yet, but he wants to someday. He's doing okay all things considered," Haley said with a smile. "We're all grateful to be alive and together. Thanks to you and Dean. The rest will come day by day."

"I'm glad," Sam said, grateful that Haley was making it easier for him to broach the subject.

"So, what brings you by? Where's Dean?" She asked.

"Umm…that's why I came by. I need to talk to you…" Sam said, his face creased with trepidation. Though he wouldn't blame her if she refused to help him, he still dreaded the possible rejection.

Haley's face shifted from the happiness she felt at seeing Sam to concern for Dean. If she were to admit it aloud, he hadn't left her thoughts completely. Both Sam and Dean had saved their lives from the Wendigo, but it had been Dean who had put himself between her and it, bearing the brunt of its attack on them to protect her. She had never forgotten that, or him, over the last year.

"What? What is it? Is Dean okay? She asked, her concern deepening.

"This is going to sound crazy –" Sam started.

"Crazier than a cannibalistic man out to eat us?" Haley joked softly.

"Yeh, I'm afraid so," Sam smiled shakily.

Haley looked into Sam's sad and worried eyes and knew he was being deadly serious.

"Tell me, Sam," she insisted.

Sam took in a breath and began to explain. When he was done, Haley looked at him, not with fear, maybe with a touch of disbelief, but mostly with concern.

"Oh my God, Sam, I didn't think things like that really happened, that they only happened in horror movies. Then again, I didn't think Wendigos existed either so I guess nothing should surprise me anymore," Haley joked.

She looked at Sam and recalled how troubled and edgy he had been then and how Dean had eased his brother's anxiety that night by the campfire. It was like he had a calming effect over Sam. She understood that connection because she had been trying to do the same thing with Ben then. She remembered trying to reassure him that she wouldn't let anything happen to him, feeling responsible for letting him come in the first place and putting him in danger.

"I can understand why he did it. It doesn't take a genius to see how much he cares about you," Haley smiled then nodded knowingly. "I'd do the same thing for my brothers."

A look of determination creased her lovely, youthful face and then she looked into Sam's eyes.

"So, you need to gather witnesses to bargain back Dean's soul?"

"Right."

"And you want me to go to your friend Bobby's house?"

"Yeh, but if you can't or don't want to, it's okay. I know I'm asking a lot."

Haley stood up and Sam followed suit, figuring she was going to send him on his way.

"Just let me pack up a few things and call Ben and Tommy."

Haley's lack of hesitation warmed Sam's heart. He had painted a pretty scary picture and had been honest with her about the risks. Still, she was willing to give up her time, possibly her life for Dean.

"Are you sure? I'll understand –"

"Sam, both of you saved our lives back at Blackwater Ridge. We were total strangers and yet you rescued Tommy and saved us," Haley said. "Dean literally put himself in front of the Wendigo to save me. He could've been killed and yet he didn't give it a second thought. I've never forgotten that. The least I can do is share that and hope that it saves him like he saved me."

Sam was touched by Haley's words. Though Sam hated it when Dean always put himself in the line of fire or right in the path of danger to protect him or someone else, deep down, he knew he couldn't change that about him no matter how much he tried to convince Dean that he was taking too many risks. If it was possible, self-sacrifice was in Dean's genetic makeup. For Dean, it was protect first, ask questions later.

"Thanks, Haley."

She looked at him and smiled.

"Don't thank me yet."

**oooo**

Sam gave Haley the directions to Bobby's place, telling her that he would be expecting her and would be able to answer any other questions that she had. He told her he was heading to Lake Manitoc to see another friend who he had hoped would be as willing to help as she had been. She agreed and he thanked her again.

Sam was buoyed by Haley's willingness to help as he headed towards Andrea and Lucas, but he knew that he couldn't expect the same result from everyone he was seeking out and wouldn't blame anyone who didn't want to help. Still, hope clung on tightly to his heart and he wasn't about to let it go until he had to.

As he drove up to their house, he was surprised to see Lucas and Andrea standing there as if they had been expecting him. They greeted him with smiles and Lucas broke away to meet Sam at the car door.

"Sam! Sam!" Lucas called out, happy to see him.

"Hey, Lucas, how're you doing?" Sam asked, a puzzled look on his face.

"We have to help Dean. I want to help Dean!"

Sam's face registered surprise as he turned to look at Andrea who was still smiling softly at him.

"Come on in, Sam. We've been kind of expecting you," Andrea said.

Sam walked up the porch steps and into the house, Lucas following him close by. Andrea offered him a seat on the couch so that she could explain things and Sam did, his curiosity building.

"Andrea, how did you know…how did Lucas?"

Andrea smiled again at Sam and sat in a chair just opposite him. Lucas chose to sit next to Sam, staying close and watching him with soulful concern, as if he felt Sam needed his presence.

"After you and Dean left, Lucas started to have premonitions. He'd see images in his mind and then the next thing you know, whatever he saw, happened. We weren't sure what it was, at first, and to be honest, I was close to calling you both, but after a while, we began to realize that what was happening was a good thing. It wasn't anything like Peter's spirit controlling him. The nearest I can figure is that Lucas got the gift some how through that possession or may have always had it and it just started happening after Peter's spirit left him. I'm not all together sure," Andrea said, stroking Lucas's head. "He seems okay though. It isn't painful and Lucas really loves being able to help people. Thanks to those visions, he's saved a lot of people."

"Some times a traumatic event can make some one more sensitive to premonitions and psychic tendencies," Sam offered, remembering he had told Dean the same thing back then.

Sam looked at Lucas with empathy because of his own experiences with his visions, but a rush of pride was there too for a little boy who was handling such a scary gift so well, so bravely.

"_You're scared. It's okay. I understand. You see, when I was your age, I saw something real bad happen to my mom and I was scared too. I didn't feel like talking, just like you, but see, my mom, I know she wanted me to be brave. I think about that everyday. And I do my best to be brave."_

The memory of Dean's compassionate words to Lucas then, his willingness to relive one of the worst times of his life to be able to reach Lucas, to let him know that he had understood and had gone through the same thing, brought emotions back into Sam's throat. Dean was continuing to be brave, but not for their mom this time. He was being brave for him now. Sam quickly swallowed his emotion down before he lost control of it.

"So you know why I'm here then?" Sam asked.

"Well, maybe not the details, but Lucas kept telling me that Dean was in trouble and that he needed our help," Andrea smiled. "That Dean had saved him so we had to save him back. He also told me that you were coming to get our help."

"Wow…" Sam said with awe in his voice.

Andrea looked into her son's eyes and Sam could see the pride in them. A sense of longing filled him as he watched a mother show her son so much unconditional love. Andrea turned her gaze back to Sam.

"Sam, whatever it is, we'll be glad to help you. Dean saved Lucas in so many ways. He reached out to him when no one else would listen to him or could reach him, even me. Lucas has never forgotten that and he wants to help him. I do, too."

"Andrea, you have to know everything and that what I'm asking you and Lucas to do is dangerous," Sam said, taking in a small breath. "I also want you to know that when you hear the whole story, it'll be okay if you don't want to risk helping us. Especially Lucas. I'll understand."

Andrea nodded and was ready to listen, as was Lucas. He took Sam's hand and never let go of it while Sam explained. It gave Sam a strength that he thought only Dean could give him. It was like Lucas was channeling Dean in order to give Sam that strength. Once he was finished, Andrea looked over at Lucas.

"Mom, we have to help him. Please. It's not fair that he only gets to do the saving," Lucas said.

Sam's heart tightened at Lucas's words. They were kind and unselfish words from a little boy who understood what needed to be done and wasn't afraid.

"We will, honey," she said, as she stroked his face.

"Andrea, Lucas might get hurt. As much as I appreciate him wanting to help, I don't know if it's a good idea for him to come."

She looked over at her son and smiled.

"I've learned a lot about taking risks this past year and what it means to sacrifice for your family. Chris taught me that. My dad taught me that. Now, Lucas is teaching me that," Andrea said, "and he learned that from Dean. You live this life not only for yourself, but for others, too. Much as I would love to protect Lucas from everything that could hurt him, he's already been touched that way and came out of it whole thanks to you and Dean. I couldn't walk away even if I wanted to and I don't want to. Lucas doesn't want to either. Let us help."

Sam was so moved by the gesture of this young mother and her son who, like him and Dean, had seen more than they should ever have to. He had lost his innocence and was given what he could have easily taken as a curse, but, instead, was living by the example Dean had set for him by his actions.

"Thanks, Andrea," Sam said as he stood up to get ready to leave then turned to Lucas. "Thank you too, Lucas. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I'm sure, Sam," Lucas said as he got up and hugged Sam's legs. "We have to save Dean so he can keep on saving people like he saved me."

Sam had to really fight to keep back the tears from forming in his eyes. Seeing all the good in that little boy made him feel ashamed for the all the years he had given Dean such a hard time when they were kids. Lucas was accepting his newfound gift with the kind of bravery that Dean would have been proud to see in him. It was more than Sam had ever done with his visions.

Like Haley, Sam gave Andrea the directions to Bobby's and thanked them again. He then hit the road back to Bobby's, needing to check on Dean.

**oooo**

**TBC**

**Thanks to Tiffany for beta-ing this story and for keeping the inspiration going. Thanks for reading and for your wonderful reviews, everyone! Hope you're enjoying it!**


	5. Chapter 5

**All the Time in the World**

**CHAPTER FIVE:**

Dean had recovered from the last assault on his body for the most part. He was feeling tired and achy, but he had felt worse in the past and was grateful for being able to stand for now. He knew the feeling would be temporary and that sooner or later, he wouldn't be able to bounce back as well, if at all, so for now, he was glad to be moving.

Dean knew that it was important to Sam that he not give up so he wouldn't, for him. Dean had come to terms with what he was facing, but he knew Sam never would, not until he had to, not until he had exhausted every possibility. Dean wasn't so sure that even faced with that reality that Sam would accept it. Sam had fought hard for Madison and he hadn't been able to save her. It had left him feeling helpless, useless. If Sam failed to find a way to save him, Dean knew that Sam would be devastated. He didn't know how to save Sam from that.

Still, Dean was ready for what he believed was inevitable. Granted, the Meg factor was something Dean could have done without, but it was there and from a practical perspective, he wasn't surprised that she had come after him. After all, he had killed her "father". In a weird sort of way, he could understand that kind of anger. He had felt it when he had lost Sam. Of everything he had killed or had sent to Hell in his life, Meg really had the full-on grudge against him. He could believe that watching him die, nice and slow, would be a prime motivating factor for her. He smirked. Sam would roll his eyes, but somehow, knowing that Meg wanted him dead, that he had pissed her off that much, gave him a sense of satisfaction.

The knock at Bobby's front door broke Dean from his thoughts. Even though they had taken all the necessary precautions by salting the doorways and strategically placing devil's traps throughout the house, inside and outside, Dean's hunter instincts were back in play. After his confrontation with Meg, he wouldn't let his guard down like that again, not with Sam and Bobby at risk. He pulled his gun out from behind his back and reached for the door. He slowly opened it and was surprised to see who it was.

"Haley?" He said.

"Hey, Dean," she said, berating herself inwardly for sounding so girlish at seeing him again.

She noticed that he looked tired, older from the last time she had seen him. He looked like he had gone through a lot already and her heart wanted to reach out to him, but she stopped herself.

"What are you –" Dean started as he put his gun away then realized why she was there.

"Sam talked to you, didn't he?" Dean said, a touch of irritation in his voice. "I told him not to do this."

"Dean, it's okay –"

"No, it's not okay. He knows that we shouldn't risk innocents. What if you get hurt?" Dean said with frustration.

"He told me all the risks. I still wanted to come. I had to come," Haley admitted.

"You could really get hurt or worse, Haley. I can't let you do this." Dean insisted.

"You know, you really should work on your male chauvinism," Haley joked.

"I'm being serious here," Dean said, his frustration still firmly in place and increasing, but his face revealing concern.

Haley looked into Dean's weary yet determined eyes and didn't have the heart to tease him anymore. She had seen that look of determination before. It was after the Wendigo had cornered them. Dean had told her to stay behind him as he stepped in front of her and towards the Wendigo. She had been frozen in place with fear, but she hadn't seen fear in Dean's eyes. All she had seen was determination just like now.

"I know you are, but nothing you can say will make me leave, so don't bother wasting your breath. I know you're trying to protect me and I appreciate it, but sometimes, you have to let others do the protecting," she said gently and with genuine affection in her voice.

Dean looked back at her, stunned silent for a moment. Haley smiled at leaving Dean speechless.

"So, can I come in?"

"Oh, yeh, sure, sorry," Dean stumbled as he stepped aside and allowed her to walk through the door.

Haley walked in slowly.

"You can put your stuff there for now," Dean said pointing to a couch.

"Thanks."

Bobby walked in when he had heard the conversation.

"Bobby, this is Haley," Dean introduced.

Bobby reached out his hand and she welcomed it with a shake.

"Good to meet you. Sam told me you were coming," Bobby said.

"You too," Haley said.

"Here, sit a spell and let me get you some water, you must be tired from the drive," Bobby offered, looking askance at Dean.

Dean picked up on what Bobby was doing. It was a necessary precaution to have everyone take a drink of holy water to make sure they were all safe. Dean felt better knowing they all had charms to ward off possession too, especially Sam since it had already happened to him and Dean never wanted him to have to go through that again.

"Yeh, that would nice, thanks," Haley said appreciatively as she sat on the couch.

Dean sat in a chair opposite her.

"I'm sorry," Dean said humbly.

"For what?"

"For jumping on you like that. It's just that I don't want you to get hurt because of me."

"I get that, but I want to help you."

Haley saw the uncertainty on Dean's face. She could tell he still wasn't convinced it was a good idea for her to be there.

"Dean, you have to know that what Sam's doing is exactly what I would be doing if it was Ben or Tommy. You should know better than anyone what it's like to love someone so much you'd be willing to die for them," Haley said sympathetically.

Dean looked at her and saw the sincerity in her eyes. He knew back when he had met her that they had shared a love and protectiveness for their brothers. He knew that she would understand.

"I do," Dean said quietly.

"Then maybe you'll understand why I want to be here," Haley said. "You saved Ben and Tommy. You saved me…please let me do this for you."

Dean felt a touch of embarrassment rise in his face so he was grateful when Bobby entered the room.

When Bobby came back in, he had a small glass of the holy water and he handed it to Haley. She took a small swig and sighed happily at the quenching effect. Bobby and Dean gave each other knowing looks. Haley put the glass down, unharmed by the holy water.

"Thank you again," she said.

"My pleasure. Guess I'll leave you two to catch up," Bobby said as he left the room.

Dean faced Haley again.

"So, how are Ben and Tommy?" He asked, trying to change the subject.

"They're doing great. Tommy still has the occasional nightmare, but he's grateful just to be alive. We all are. Thanks to you and Sam."

"It's part of the job," Dean said, simply.

"I think it's a lot more than that," Haley smiled, her eyes looking into Dean's with gratitude. "You know, when the Wendigo had us cornered, I was frozen…I couldn't move. I thought I going to die…"

Haley swallowed dryly and took another sip of water. Dean watched her, wishing that she had never gone through what she had.

"It's okay, Haley. You don't have to…" Dean said, trying to keep her from reliving a painful past.

"But I want to…I've been wanting to tell you that you gave me back something I thought I'd lost after our parents died."

Dean stiffened a little, remembering his own losses.

"You see, our parents, they died in a car crash…drunk driver…about five years ago…" Haley paused to take in an emotion-laden breath. "Since then, I've made it my job to take care of Tommy and Ben because I knew it was something they'd want me to do. I was always the responsible one."

Dean looked at her, understanding her words and feelings as if they were his own.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I love my brothers very much. I wouldn't trade this life for anything, but back then, sometimes I did wonder what my life might have been if our parents had lived, what I would be doing if they had. Then Tommy disappeared and all I wanted to do was find him and have my family back. I even thought I was being punished for wanting more."

Dean nodded and stayed silent. He realized that Haley needed to tell him her story and he wanted to listen to it. He had gone through similar feelings and had also questioned what their lives might have been if the demon had never killed their mom. The memory of the djinn's fantasy still felt very real at times. All the tastes, sounds and touches were still there and could be easily recalled.

"But then you and Sam came to help and you took the time to give me hope by telling me that Tommy could still be alive even though it had looked like they'd been killed at the campsite. It was enough to keep me going," Haley continued. "Then the Wendigo had us and, like I said, I thought I was going to die so, for a second, I found myself bargaining that if I lived through that, I'd never question my life again. Silly, huh?"

"No," Dean said huskily, understanding. "It's not at all."

Haley smiled in appreciation of Dean's acknowledgement.

"Anyway, you took the full force of the hit to keep me from getting hurt. I mean, it hurled you into a tree…"

"Yeh, don't remind me," Dean joked. "My ribs still ache when the weather changes."

Haley laughed, but her eyes were welling up from the memory.

"I was a stranger and yet you didn't even hesitate for a second to put yourself in danger to protect me. You could have died. I've never forgotten that," Haley paused. "You made me believe that life's worth fighting for. So let me return the favor. Let me fight for you this time."

Dean looked into her eyes and was again struck speechless. Twice in one conversation, that didn't happen often.

**oooo**

**TBC**

**Thanks to Tiffany for beta-ing this story and for keeping the inspiration going. Thanks for reading and for your wonderful reviews, everyone! Hope you're enjoying it!**


	6. Chapter 6

**All the Time in the World**

**CHAPTER SIX:**

On the way back to Bobby's, Sam decided to pull over into the parking lot of a motel. He didn't want to check in because he just needed a quick nap. He had been running on adrenaline for miles and it was finally catching up with him. Being away from Dean for so long made him feel nervous and afraid. Sam couldn't stop the ticking time bomb inside his head and it was getting louder and louder the less time he had left to save Dean. But if he wanted to keep from dying…again, he needed to get some sleep in. Sam shook his head at his macabre humor, but he couldn't help it. Dying did that to you.

He laid his head down on the steering wheel and allowed himself to drift asleep.

Hazily, Sam heard it, a soft tapping sound. He groggily tried to wake himself up and turned to find out whom it was. He gasped and recoiled when he saw the familiar face of a dead man, or what should have been a dead man, and a dead demon, rapping on the door.

"Hey, there Sammy. How you doing?" It said, its unmistakable glowing yellow eyes staring back at him.

Sam could only stare back, his mouth agape from shock.

"You're supposed to be –" Sam uttered.

"Dead? Yes, well, dead is a relative term isn't it?" It taunted.

Sam stared at the demon, his face contorting into the look he had when he had killed Jake. It was a façade mixed with madness, revenge, and cold implacability.

"That's my Sammy."

**oooo**

Dean was pacing a bit and Haley was worried herself. It had taken her a few hours to get to Bobby's and though she knew that Sam was heading elsewhere, she could tell Dean didn't know where that somewhere was and was getting worried.

"Where is Sammy?" Dean asked, more to himself.

"I'm sure he'll be back soon."

"Did he mention to you where he was going?"

"To Lake Manitoc, I think."

Dean shook his head in disbelief.

"Damn it, Sammy."

"What? What is it?" She asked.

"Nothing, it's just that I have a stubborn, dumb ass of a bro –" Dean was able to get out before another attack hit him.

This one dropped him to his knees immediately and Haley rushed to brace him from falling.

"Dean? Dean! Are you okay?"

Dean could only groan and grunt. His nerves and muscles were twitching with pain and every considerate and helpful touch that Haley offered caused ripples of pain to course through him. He couldn't help but jerk and flinch. Haley noticed and became nervous that she was doing more harm than good.

"I'm sorry, Dean," she apologized, unsure of what to do to minimize his discomfort, to let him go or to keep holding on to him.

Dean exerted every amount of will power over the pain to resist his body's natural response to pull away from the contact. He didn't want to scare Haley or make her feel responsible for what was happening to him. He shook his head slowly between grunts and moans punctuated with heavy breathing.

"Not. Your. Fault," Dean finally struggled out as he reached for and held her hand with his trembling one to reassure her as much as he could, given the pain he was experiencing.

"What is it? What's happening?" Haley asked, feeling Dean's considerate attempt to ease her apprehension.

"Hard. To. Explain. It'll. Pass. Soon. I. Hope," Dean grunted out, uncertain that it would this time.

Haley watched Dean fight off the pain, saw the beads of sweat forming on his face and all she could do was comfort by her presence and feel empathy for what he was going through.

"Can. You. Help. Me. To. The. Couch?" Dean asked, as he clenched his eyes closed, his hands fisted tightly, his breathing laboring under the strain.

Haley nodded and pulled him gently up onto his feet. She guided him slowly, not wanting to rush him, supporting him all the way there. She helped lower him down onto the couch and then let him go. He curled up with agonizing pain and could only breathe raggedly.

"Bobby!" Haley called out, feeling helpless to do anything more to help.

**oooo**

The demon opened the back door of the Impala and climbed in. Sam was helpless to stop it.

"I'm dreaming again, right? You aren't really here."

The demon just smiled.

"What do you want?" Sam said with gritted teeth.

"What makes you think I want anything? You killed me, remember? Oh, wait, that was your brother, I forgot," the demon smiled. "For all your powers, I still had you pinned to a tree and it took your meddling daddy and your big brother, who has self-worth issues, by the way, to save you. Why would I want anything from you?"

Sam could only snarl, refusing to feed its taunts.

"Your brother's dying. Once he's gone, you'll be mine. I don't even need to have physical form to have you. When your brother's rotting in Hell, a fate he deserves, by the way, you will be the leader of my army. You'll want to be the leader because frankly, you won't be able to stop yourself. You see, you never had any free will in this. When I came to you that night and fed you my blood, I marked you," the demon said, pondering as if searching for the right word. "I imprinted you."

Sam's eyes widened with horror, fearing exactly what the demon was telling him, that he might be part demon.

"You're lying. I don't believe you."

"Of course you believe me. You've been wondering about that since the night I showed you how your mother walked in on us. I would think you'd be grateful to finally know the truth. By feeding you my blood, every demon will know you. They will recognize you for what you really are. You won't need to go to them. They will come to you."

"When?" Sam asked, shocked at its revelations to him.

"When that brother of yours is dead. He is the only thing keeping you from falling now. Turns out, he always has been. Why do you think your daddy sacrificed himself so that he could live? Now, I admit that I underestimated him. I may be a demon, but I'm not perfect. I didn't think he was of any significance. I was wrong, so sue me," It smiled sinisterly. "But none of that matters now. Dean's pitiful self-loathing and complete devotion to you gave us what we wanted. He offered himself up without any intervention from us. He's the one who went and made the deal. We got you back and he's going to Hell. Works for me. He's really his own worst enemy, you know. Won't be long now, Sammy. I'll have you both the way I want you soon."

Sam startled awake, breathing hard and sweating.

"No…"

**oooo**

Dean felt a searing pain rip through his body and a cutting sensation pierce into his chest, like a scalpel was being dragged through his skin to cut his heart out. In all the years he had been bruised and battered by every demon and spirit he had faced, he had never gone through such agony. Not even the yellow-eyed demon slitting him open from the inside out equaled the agony he was feeling now. For the first time in his life, he didn't know if he was going to live through it.

He could hear the voices of Bobby and Haley, calling out to him, asking him if he was okay and if he could hear them, but he couldn't answer them. The pain was only allowing him to choose between breathing and talking and he chose breathing. One voice was filtering through the haze of pain though. It was decidedly feminine and familiar. It was the one voice he wished he could tune out.

"_So, Dean, how are you liking the torture? It's only a fraction of what's waiting for you in Hell. Gotta say though, I'm impressed by your stamina. Lesser men would have begged for death by now, but no, not Dean Winchester. He has to prove himself, convince everyone that he can handle anything, that he can withstand anything. Guess we'll see how much soon enough, huh?"_

Dean could only keep breathing. It killed him not to have a snarky come back for Meg, to let her know somehow that she was wasting her time. He was not going to give in that easily.

"_Oh, by the way, bet you were thinking that once you were gone, Sam would live happily ever after, huh? Sure, he'll hurt bad, grieve and all that, but you're so sure he'll get over you, find another pretty blonde, marry her, have a few kids, and live that normal life he so wanted back at Stanford. Your self-sacrifice would mean something because Sam would be happy. Makes me nauseous thinking about it," Meg continued to taunt. "Well, did it ever occur to you that maybe you were the one thing, maybe the only thing, that was keeping Sam from his real destiny? That once you're out of the equation, Sam is fair game and that he'll finally give in to what he really is?" _

Dean tried to resist her suggestions, but doubt was creeping into his being.

"_Didn't think so," she said._

Dean clenched his eyes closed, wishing he could somehow make himself deaf so that he could get Meg's voice out of his head or that he could somehow answer her back in protest.

"_He's going to lead my father's army," Meg goaded, "and there won't be anything or anyone to stop him. You'll be too busy fighting off Hell's fires."_

Dean mustered every amount of strength he had in him to channel all his anger and rage at Meg. He grunted and growled through his mounting pain and found enough breath to spit out, "I. Won't. Let. You. Have. Him! Do you hear me? I. Will. Fight. You. And. Anyone. Who. Tries!"

Haley watched helplessly as she heard Dean rail against a presence that she couldn't see. Bobby ran in and saw the scene in front of him with horror.

"What happened?" He asked.

"I don't know," Haley replied. "He collapsed in pain and someone or something seems to be talking to him. He just yelled that he wouldn't let whatever it is have Sam."

"Meg," Bobby practically whispered in anger.

"Who?"

Dean's breathing was more moans than actually taking in air, but he continued valiantly to work through the pain. Meg's voice returned and seemed to only intensify the pain.

"_Play the hero all you want, Dean, but despite your delusion that you think you're invincible, you're still only just a man, nothing special, flesh and bone that can be destroyed in an instant. Face it, your self-loathing and pathetic devotion to someone who is destined to lead an army of demons made you give us exactly what we wanted. You played into our hands completely. Sam's ours now."_

"No! No! He'll. Never. Be. Yours!" Dean groaned out.

Just then Sam came through the door. He saw Dean in agony and ran over to him.

"Dean? Dean, can you hear me?" Sam called out as he touched Dean's face. It felt feverish to the touch.

Dean was trembling with so much pain, he wasn't sure what reality he was in or if he was already in Hell, being tortured by hearing Sam's voice and feeling his touch, reminding him of his failure for eternity.

"S-Sammy?" Dean breathed out as he turned towards the voice, hoping it wouldn't be an illusion. "Is that you…or am I already in Hell?"

The pain was finally starting to ease off and he felt his eyes clear from the blindness that had come from the agony.

"No, no, Dean, you're here with me, with Bobby and with Haley."

Dean looked at Sam's face and amazed everyone with a shaky smile.

"Knew you wouldn't give in…knew you were stronger than they were…always did…" Dean said wearily then just faded into unconsciousness.

**oooo**

**TBC**

**Thanks to Tiffany for beta-ing this story and for keeping the inspiration going. Thanks for reading, everyone! Hope you're enjoying it!**


	7. Chapter 7

**All the Time in the World**

**CHAPTER SEVEN:**

Bobby and Sam laid Dean down in one of the bedrooms to let him rest undisturbed. The last attack had been particularly brutal and Dean would need all the sleep he could get to recover.

Andrea and Lucas had arrived shortly thereafter. Sam introduced them to Haley then excused himself so that he could talk to Bobby alone. The two of them had decided to step out into Bobby's yard to take in the cool, fresh air and the stars in the night sky. Both of them agreed that they needed to clear their heads so they could figure out the next step. Sam also had to tell Bobby about the dream he had.

"The demon came to you in a dream?" Bobby asked, surprised. "I saw Dean kill it."

"I know, so did I. Is it possible that the Colt and the bullet only killed the human host and not the demon itself?"

"I suppose anything is possible, but from what I've heard about the Colt, it's supposed to kill anything."

Sam paced around the yard and hid his expressions with the moon's shadows.

"Back at Cold Oak, when it came into my dreams then, it showed me the night he came into my room…" Sam hesitated. "It showed me that it fed me some of its blood…and that our mom knew it."

"Your mom knew the demon?" Bobby asked shocked.

"Yeh, when she came back into my room, she acted like she had recognized it. I don't know how, but that's what it showed me. I don't know if it was lying to me or not, Bobby…" Sam said with a tinge of frustration in his voice, "then this time, it told me that by feeding me its blood, I was 'imprinted' to become the leader of its army."

Sam stopped to take in a shaky breath.

"I'm scared, Bobby, what if I can't stop what's happening…it said Dean has been the only obstacle in its way, that he's been the only one who could protect me…" Sam said, his emotions and words spilling out uncontrolled. "It said that's why Dad sacrificed himself to save Dean. He knew that Dean was the one -"

"Sam, hold it right there. Like you said, we don't know if whatever this thing that came into your dream is really the demon and whether it was telling the truth or not. I, for one, am not convinced. Demons lie to get what they want. Don't you **ever** forget that. I don't believe it's back. Something else is manipulating you and Dean. I think it's Meg. She was messing with Dean's head, too."

"What? How do you know? I thought you said Dean had lost consciousness before he could tell you."

"Call it a gut feeling. Haley said that he was telling some voice in his head that he wouldn't let it have you. Only way to know for sure is to ask Dean when he wakes up," Bobby said. "He was fighting hard, Sam. He hasn't given up yet so don't you go giving into your doubts. We don't have the time for it."

Sam nodded.

"I think we need to step up the timetable. These attacks on Dean are happening more often and are wearing him down. I'm worried he won't be able to take much more."

"I'm worried too," Sam said. "I've never seen him in that much pain and I can't help feeling –"

"Responsible?"

"Yeh."

"I know, Sam, but you have to remember that Dean made his choice. Much as you and I hate that he did, the harsh reality of it is, he made that deal, but he did it as much for himself as for you so don't go taking the whole blame for it."

"He's right, you know," Dean said behind them.

They both turned to see Dean leaning on a wrecked car with his right hand, wavering under his weight.

"And I'd do it again."

"Dean, what are you doing out of bed?" Bobby scolded.

"I couldn't sleep anymore…" Dean said just as his legs began to give way underneath him.

Bobby and Sam caught him then helped him sit down.

"You have to take it easy. What you went through –" Sam said.

"Was just a slice of Hell. I know," Dean joked as he laid back in the chair and the world finally stopped spinning.

He sighed and groaned as he relaxed into it. Dean hated the weakness and pain he was feeling. He wasn't coming out of the attacks intact. He felt it. It worried him. Not for himself, but for everyone else who was there. He had seen that Andrea and Lucas had arrived to help him too. Dean humbly thanked them for coming to help and they had both smiled, happy to see him then Lucas had hugged him. Dean hated that Lucas would be put at risk. He didn't want to be less than at his best for all of them, but he didn't think he would have a choice in the matter.

"Dean, can you tell us what happened?" Bobby asked.

"It was Meg, just like you said. She was giving me the same load of bull she usually does," Dean evaded a little.

"Like what?" Sam prodded, knowing there was more to the story.

"You know, stuff…" Dean dodged again.

"Dean, you can't just keep things from me. You can't protect me anymore. I need to know."

Dean closed his eyes tiredly, knowing that Sam was right and hating that he was. It wasn't just about him. It never had been.

"She said that after I'm dead, you'd be the leader to her daddy's little army, but Sam, I know that will NEVER happen. You could never do that. I know that. I know you."

"What if I can't stop it?" Sam challenged. "Not without you?"

Dean looked up at Sam.

"You can, Sam," Dean insisted. "I can't make you believe in yourself. Only you can do that. You have to promise me that you'll do that."

"Dean, the yellow-eyed demon came to me in a dream…" Sam admitted.

"What?" Dean said, his eyes widening in shock. "No, it's dead. I killed it. It was just a dream, that's all it was."

"Maybe," Sam said, not completely convinced. "Bobby thinks it's Meg who's playing with both of us."

"I think he's right because it would be just like that bitch to jerk our chains like that," Dean insisted again.

"Even if it is her, it doesn't mean it might not be true. That I'm supposed to end up…"

"Sam…" Dean shook his head in soft frustration.

Just then, Lucas walked in and the conversation stopped.

"Hey, Dean," Lucas said quietly, worried he had done something wrong.

"Hey, there buddy, what's up?" Dean asked.

"Can I talk to you?"

"Well, sure," Dean said, confused.

"Just the two of us?"

Sam and Bobby smiled, suspicion not even on their minds, as they walked out to leave them alone.

"Have a seat there, Lucas. What's on your mind?" Dean asked.

"I'm scared," Lucas admitted.

"Hey, it's okay to be scared and if you don't want to do this –"

"No, Dean, I'm not scared for me. I want to do this, but…"

"But what, kiddo?" Dean encouraged.

"I'm scared for you."

Dean looked at Lucas and all he could think about was how much he had reminded him of Sam. It brought back both great and not so great memories of their childhood. The great moments were when Sam had still been able to play and act just like any other little kid even when they were going on hunts. Dean had still been able to excuse them away as adventures, making them sound like fairy tales instead of horror stories.

Eventually though, hiding the truth had became harder and then it had become impossible. Much as he loved their father, the older Sam had gotten, the more their father had expected him to take on the training. Then came the not so great times. Times where Sam had gotten upset when their dad had scolded him for messing up, or worse, made him feel like he could have gotten either of them killed. No amount of reassurances from Dean had been able to ease those moments for Sam. Soon, Sam had just begun to rebel against the life they were being raised in and the rift between their dad and Sam had grown larger and larger until the argument that had finally driven Sam away. Dean couldn't have prevented it no matter how much he had tried.

He looked at Lucas and wished he could do that for him too, to protect him from knowing so much about what evil is and what it's capable of. He wanted to keep him just a kid for a little while longer, but, like Sam, he couldn't. Evil had already touched him. It saddened and angered Dean.

"There's nothing to be scared of, Lucas. I'm going to be okay."

Lucas looked into the eyes of his hero, second only to his dad. Dean had been there for him during the worst time of his life. He had made him feel less scared when he didn't know what was happening to him and then had saved him. As far as Lucas was concerned, Dean was as good as Batman and better than Superman.

"I can see things now. Sam called them visions."

"Yeh, I heard. You got yourself some pretty awesome superpowers there, kid," Dean said, smiling, proud that Lucas was making the best of what had to be a frightening situation.

"When I first got them, I was scared. I was really scared, but I remembered what you told me. You know, about being brave and I wasn't scared anymore," Lucas said with a small smile. "I help people just like you do. I like saving people."

Dean smiled at the courage he saw in Lucas's eyes. He could never take credit for the kind of kid he was or for the fine young man he knew he would become. A mother's love would do that for him. Lucas turned serious again.

"I'm scared because I see you hurting. Real bad. And then…" Lucas paused, biting his upper lip nervously.

"What? It's okay, Lucas. You can tell me."

"I see you dying, Dean. I don't want to but I can't help it," Lucas started crying then thrust himself into Dean to hug him, his little boy façade breaking through the bravery on the surface.

"Hey, hey there, Lucas. It's okay," Dean said, worry creased his face as he stroked Lucas's back in comfort.

"No, it's not, Dean. I see things and they come true. I don't want to see things anymore, not if I see you die. I don't want to see you die!" Lucas said his voice was distraught and seemingly inconsolable.

"You won't. I promise," Dean said, grimacing at having to make a promise he might not be able to keep.

He had never broken a promise and it killed him that he might do that to someone who deserved better.

"You can't promise. My visions. They always come true," Lucas said.

Dean flinched when Lucas accused that he couldn't promise that he wouldn't die. Innocence had been taken from him and there was nothing Dean could do about that except to be honest with him.

"Lucas, listen to me," Dean said as he gently broke their hug to look into his eyes. "No more lies, okay? You're right. I can't promise you that nothing will happen. I don't make promises I can't keep, but I WILL promise you that Sam will try really hard to stop it. So will I. And I know that your mom and Haley will try too. Most of all, I know that you'll try the hardest. I want you to know how proud I am of you."

Dean choked up with emotion, remembering his father telling him that just before he had died. It had been small comfort to him then because all that expression of pride and love had come with steep prices. One was the their father trading his soul so that Dean could live. The other was the steepest of all, the promise to kill Sam if he couldn't save him.

A part of him hated doing the same thing to Lucas, in a way, to tell him how proud he was of him only to have them possibly be the last words Lucas would ever hear him say. Still, by doing it, he finally understood what his father must have meant and felt by saying those same words to him. Unlike his father, though, he would not leave Lucas with a burden to bear for the rest of his life. He needed Lucas to know that trying was everything. That caring enough to offer your life to save another's was heroic enough. That it meant the world.

"Lucas, I want you to know that no matter what happens, it's not your fault. I don't want you to hate me or hate your gift if something bad happens. Sometimes, you can't stop bad things from happening. Sometimes you can't save everyone, but it doesn't mean you failed. I want you to know that it means the world to me that you're here, trying to help me. Trying is everything, Lucas. Sometimes it's the only thing. Do you understand?"

Lucas nodded and smiled at Dean. He had started to feel a little better with Dean's assurances. In the doorway, Sam had listened to Dean talking to Lucas and couldn't help, but feel swelled with pride himself for a brother who had never let him feel like a failure.

"I'm going to try really hard, Dean."

"I know you will, buddy," Dean said.

Lucas then left the room and Dean took in a deep breath. He felt drained and though he tried to hide it from Lucas, he wasn't feeling well at all. There was a background of pain that wasn't going away and sometimes it would make its presence known by a sudden muscle spasm.

"That means you too, you know," He called out, knowing Sam had been listening.

Sam emerged from the shadows and sat next to Dean.

"I mean it, Sam, no matter what, you didn't fail me. You could NEVER fail me. Got that?"

"Yeh, Dean, I do," Sam said with a faint smile that disappeared.

"But? I can hear a 'but' in that tone of yours. I could always tell when there was a 'but'."

Sam laughed a little, but then became serious again.

"I have to tell you something…" Sam started. "About that night when mom died. I didn't tell you everything about the first dream with the demon back in Cold Oak."

Dean nodded.

"I wondered, but didn't want to push it," Dean admitted. "I was just glad to see you alive."

Dean sighed at the memory. Sam bowed his head afraid to meet Dean in the eyes.

"Dean, the demon showed me that it fed me its blood that night."

"What?" Dean said, shocked and repulsed at what Sam had been put through.

"This last dream, he told me that doing that 'marked' me so that the demon army would know who I was, that they would find me and know that I was their leader," Sam said, the worry in his voice returning.

"Sam, don't believe it. It wasn't the demon. I killed it. This is all Meg's doing."

"Even if it is, I still drank the demon's blood. I saw that with my own eyes. It could have changed me that night…it might change me when you…if you…" Sam amended.

"Sam, there is more to you than drinking demon blood. You were raised by Dad–"

"And by you," Sam added quickly.

Dean just shrugged off the compliment.

"You're Sam Winchester. You're my pain-in-the-ass little brother. Nothing and no one can ever take that away from you, you hear me?" Dean encouraged as a spasm of pain hit him and he moaned.

Sam listened to Dean's words and was moved by his big brother's steadfast faith and belief in him. It was the same kind of devoted faith and belief that Dean had placed in their father and that Sam had questioned for so long. He felt a touch of shame for doubting Dean's devotion because here he was now, relying on him, depending on him to keep him centered and whole. Sam wondered now if their dad had felt the same way. If he had relied on Dean's unwavering support and obedience for more than just following orders, that Dean's heartfelt words of "It's okay, Dad" whenever he really needed it had single-handedly kept their dad going and moving forward to the next hunt. Somehow, Sam was sure that Dean had.

"Yeh, I hear you, but…" Sam said with a smile, but it faded again. "I'm still afraid, Dean."

The little boy sound in his voice made Dean long for the days when he could take away all of Sam's fears with a cocky smile, a sarcastic joke, or with just a simple reassuring word. Those days were long gone and Dean didn't know how to make it better for Sam.

"I know you are, Sam," Dean assured with honesty.

"**You're** not afraid," Sam commented.

Dean looked at Sam and pondered whether to tell him that he had accepted his fate.

"Look, I knew what I was getting into. I wouldn't change it for anything. Not then, not now. So, since it would have happened no matter what, I can't whine about it," Dean admitted.

His eyes welled up remembering a still and lifeless Sam on the ratty bed. When he squeezed them closed from a spasm of pain, the tears fell down his cheeks.

"I couldn't leave you like that, Sammy. I just couldn't," he said, his voice having the same hushed and pained croak it had then. "It hurt more to think of you like that than it did to make that deal. It was about wanting you to live. I wasn't trying to be selfish by bringing you back only to leave you in a year, but it was the deal I was dealt so I took it. I needed to take care of you and I needed to give you a chance at life again. You've been robbed of so much. First Mom, then Jess…Then Dad."

"And losing you makes up for all that?" Sam asked, not trying to sound accusing, but plaintive. "Because as much as losing them hurt, losing you…I…I just…I… "

Sam was at a loss for words, there weren't any in the whole of the English language that could express what his heart was feeling for a big brother who had been everything to him, who had sacrificed everything for him all of his life. Any words would either fall short or just be maudlin substitutes. In the end, words were empty. In the Winchester family, actions spoke louder.

"Dean, we'll get through this. I'll get you through this," he said as confidently as he could.

"I know you will, Sammy. You always have," Dean said, as he smiled at his little brother, not revealing that just being around Sam for as long he had left was getting him through it.

**oooo**

**TBC**

**Thanks to Tiffany for beta-ing this story and for keeping the inspiration going. Thanks for reading, everyone! Hope you're enjoying it!**


	8. Chapter 8

**All the Time in the World**

**CHAPTER EIGHT:**

Sam and Bobby let Dean rest while they made preparations, hoping that sleeping would help him recover. They both knew that Dean was weakening and that the pain was just barely manageable, even by Dean Winchester standards so they knew he was enduring much more than he was letting on. Sam was worried about the shadows and creases that were forming on his brother's face. They were deeper and darker than when his heart had been slowly giving out on him after being electrocuted. That seemed like another lifetime ago. But now, Dean's time was running out again, and Sam wasn't sure how many more assaults Dean's body could withstand. It had never occurred to Sam that Dean might be taken from him prematurely and certainly not by the cruel and torturous whim of another demon that had vengeance on her mind. He had believed that he would have enough time to save Dean.

Bobby and Sam pulled out all of the books that had referenced the demon as well as the necromantic summoning ritual specific to it. Haley, Andrea, and Lucas watched them nervously, but were still staunchly steadfast to staying despite the risks.

The two of them then began setting the stage for the ritual. Candles had been placed strategically around the room. A devil's trap had been drawn upon the floor, encompassing the room from corner to corner so that there would be as little area possible for the demon to step out of it. A small pyre was flickering and crackling from within a large bowl in the semi-darkened room. A blend of herbs and other "questionable" items better left to the imaginations of the on-lookers was placed nearby. Another small empty bowl was next to it along with a small, sharpened knife, ominous looking by its ancient curvature. They created a protective circle comprised of salt and cat's eye shells for Haley, Andrea and Lucas to stay within, hoping it would keep them safe.

After a few more moments, Bobby and Sam stopped to take stock of everything they had done and seemed satisfied. Sam took in a deep breath. All that needed to be done, was to wait for midnight to arrive. Sam turned to give everyone some last minute instructions.

"Okay, we've done all we can for now. We just have to wait until midnight now. Last chance guys. It's all right if you want to leave."

Lucas, in his childlike wisdom, spoke up as if he were speaking on behalf of everyone.

"We're staying, Sam. Dean needs us. You need us."

Haley and Andrea just nodded in agreement as if there was nothing more they could add to Lucas's assurance.

Sam smiling with gratitude for their courage to face what was coming with him and Bobby.

"Thanks everyone," Sam said, his voice tremulous with emotion. "One very important thing you need to know. If this doesn't work, if everything should –"

"Go to Hell," Dean finished then smiled as he entered the room, grateful that the semi-darkness would hide how wrecked he must've looked, "you get out of here as fast as you can. Don't stop and don't look back. I'll be covering you to give you as much time as I can, but don't hesitate for even a second, okay?"

They all nodded. Dean lifted his gun to load it with consecrated iron rounds then made a mental count of how many of them he had with him.

"Dean, I don't think you should –"

"Sorry, Sammy, can't count me out of this one. Until I can't load or shoot this gun anymore, you're stuck with me. I'm gonna make sure that everyone gets out. No one gets hurt on my watch."

Sam could hear Dean's determined voice mask the weakness he knew Dean felt. He also knew that no amount of arguing would change Dean's mind and it would only waste Dean's precious reserves. He just nodded in agreement.

"Okay, jerk," Sam smiled, enjoying the familiarity of the word.

Dean looked up and smiled back.

"Bitch."

Dean closed his eyes to try to keep dizziness at bay. Sam noticed and got a chair for Dean to sit in. Dean resisted for a moment, but had to give in reluctantly for fear he'd fall. He hated not being in control.

**oooo**

Shortly before midnight arrived, Sam opened the book to where the words to the ritual were and took in a heavy breath. He took one last look over at Dean who was maintaining his state of high alert. He had a firm grip on the trigger of his gun and it was sitting on his thigh at the ready. He turned to meet Sam's gaze and winked at him as a signal to tell him to go ahead. For Sam, it had told him so much more than just that. It was Dean's way of telling him that he had his back. Sam just nodded in acknowledgement. Knowing Dean was there gave him courage.

Sam turned back to the book and began reciting the Latin words before him. As he read them, the atmosphere of the room began to change and an undirected wind began to whip through. Sam added the unknown mix of herbs to the small pyre in front of him, continuing to utter each word, increasing the volume of his voice to compete with the windswept room. The herb concoction began to sizzle and burn, giving off an unpleasant odor. Finally, Sam gave the book to Bobby who took over the chanting as Sam took the small knife. He held the blade to his left palm and raked it along his lifeline. Blood began to quickly ooze from the wound. Sam brought up the empty bowl to catch the drops and let them coat the bottom.

Still holding the book for Sam, chanting continuously, not wanting to break the cycle of words, Bobby watched and felt the hairs at the back of his neck stand on end. He had been afraid a number of times in his life. Being a hunter didn't make you immune to fear, it just made you better able to control it than most. But tonight, he felt a sense of fear unparalleled in his experience. He knew that what they were summoning was never meant for human eyes to gaze upon. It was a beast best left to horror novels and movies, but he knew that the best of imaginations could never conjure up what the reality really was. All of them would be witnessing what no one had seen in over a millennia, if ever. Bobby wasn't sure whether summoning it might exact its own price. Still, knowing all that didn't deter his belief in what they were doing and for whom they were doing it for. As far as he was concerned, he'd give his life several times over for Dean, if for no other reason than to demonstrate to Dean how important and meaningful his life was, to him, and to everyone else in that room, as well as to the others he had saved who may or may not know or remember his name. He smiled, thinking to himself that he would give meaning to Dean's life even if it killed him.

Sam looked into the small bowl and found the bottom coated with his blood. He placed it back on the table with everything else and closed his eyes. Dean watched in awe at what was happening around him and struggled to keep his balance in the wind as well as control over the mounting pain that was assaulting his body. He bit back any sound that might distract Sam from what he was doing. He knew that any misstep might cost their lives.

Quickly, the undirected wind began to swirl into a tornado and spun in the middle of the devil's trap. It began to take an amorphous form, pulling into its wake everything loose in the room. The form began to grow larger and taller. It reminded Dean of the genie escaping the bottle in Aladdin. He watched in grim amazement as each part of it became more defined from the bottom up. The legends had been true. Hoofed feet, red skin, broad shoulders, forked tail, curled chin, and most impressively, horns on its head.

Everyone stared with the same inability to look away as if they were viewing a horrific accident. Even Bobby was barely keeping a hold on his concentration. Sam seemed oblivious as he listened to the chanting with his eyes closed, summoning his strength to take hold of the power he was feeling coming from within him. When he finally opened his eyes, he didn't act surprised at seeing what was before him. He seemed to look at the beast with a strange kind of calm that scared Dean. Sam touched Bobby's shoulder, which they had agreed would be the signal for Bobby to stop and he complied.

The beast turned and directed his attention to Sam.

"Why have you summoned me?" It bellowed.

"You know why," Sam said, eerily calm.

"To save your blood kin," it declared with a smile. "But why? You are only half to him. You have more of me in you now."

Sam stared at the demon and felt something stir in him that felt both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. It should have frightened him, but it didn't. It gave him a feeling of kinship instead.

"I'll never be you," Sam said, trying to sound defiant, but the emotion wasn't there, in fact, saying the words had left him feeling cold.

Dean watched the exchange and listened intently for some sign of Sam's voice, but didn't hear it. The words were coming from him, but there was something distant and unlike Sam in the tone. It frightened him.

"Sam, don't give in to it," Dean said, but was then assaulted with torrents of pain and cried out.

Haley and Andrea instinctively reached out for Dean to provide whatever comfort they could, but Dean shook his head and rasped, "Stay behind me. I'll be okay. I won't let anything happen to you."

Hearing Dean's voice in pain had snapped Sam back out of his trance and he looked over at him. Dean was in torment. His pain reached into Sam's heart and he broke free from the demon influence over him. He looked to Dean for a sign to tell him that he was okay. Dean could only nod his head, but it was enough for Sam. He turned back to the demon.

"I've come here to break a contract. A contract one of your demons made with my brother."

The demon smiled.

"I seem to recall your brother saying that people who make deals deserve what they get. How did he colorfully put it? Oh, I remember now, _'Nobody put a gun to their head and forced them to play let's make a deal,'_" the demon quoted using Dean's own voice and both Sam and Dean were taken aback by it.

Sam quickly shook the shock off and continued.

"Others have made deals to further their own personal agendas, to gain fame or fortune. My brother didn't want anything for himself, he bargained for me, for my life."

"Did he now? And you don't think he wanted you back, too?"

"Of course he did, but he would have taken nothing to bring me back."

"And yet he got a year."

"Which is a JOKE! My brother's soul is worth a 100 times that. In my eyes, it's priceless," Sam declared with pride. His heart was filled with a love and pride for the brother who had raised him and had protected him all their lives. It gave him strength.

"Clearly, he didn't think it was worth much at all."

Sam understood what the demon was doing. It was feeding into Dean's belief that his life was meaningless, but Sam wouldn't allow that.

"You're right, in his eyes, it isn't, but to those he has saved, it's worth much more and I'm going to prove it to you," Sam said as he quickly looked over at Dean. "And to him."

"And what will that accomplish? I already know how skilled a hunter he is. Why would I rescind the deal? So he can keep on killing my kind?"

"Do you know how good his soul is?" Sam baited.

The demon acted surprised by the question.

"I think you do," Sam continued, noticing the change in the demon's posturing. "I know that a soul like his would make Hell even worse for those in it and I think you know what the consequences would be if you let a soul as pure and untainted as his into Hell. I'd hate to be you then."

The demon fell silent for a moment, feeling something he had never felt before. It was fear. Power was pouring off of this mortal with demon blood, and the human didn't even comprehend the strength he possessed. Still, surely a mere man, even with demon blood in him, could never harm him.

"I tire of this game of yours."

"Did you know that one of your own is breaking the rules?" Sam teased, hoping to turn the tide of the conversation.

"What?" It said.

"I don't know what you call her, but we call her Meg and she's acting out of vengeance to see my brother dead before his contract is up. Do you mean to tell me she can defy your rules? That her bloodlust against a mortal who killed her father overshadows the laws of the contract?" Sam taunted.

The demon stared Sam down, its face unreadable. Dean's pain eased enough for him to smile and think to himself, _"Atta boy, Sammy."_

The demon straightened menacingly.

"You have proof of this?"

"She's torturing my brother right now," Sam swallowed back his emotion. "And I'm sure she won't want to miss watching him die by her hand."

The demon cocked his head as if in curiosity.

"You have a darkness about you," the demon observed. "I felt it earlier. You did, too."

Sam didn't answer, not willing to admit that he had felt something.

"It is untapped, dangerous. You've been given great power to lead a legion."

Sam closed his eyes and felt some thing pull at him, as if there was something being drawn out of him. He fought the sensation, but it remained.

"Yes, I feel it within you. Why are you wasting your time defending this mortal to me? You could be making this earthly world yours for the taking."

Sam shook his head.

"No, I won't be the leader of an army of demons."

"Oh, but you have no choice. You are transforming, much as you resist it, you cannot stop it. Just as your brother has his time, so will you have yours. I will not break the contract. I will rid the world of another hunter like your father and I will be hailed for turning you. Perhaps I will be a Lieutenant by your side."

Sam was trembling with the enormous pull towards a darkness he didn't want to enter, but had nothing to brace himself against to fight it. Dean watched helplessly as Sam endured his own pain to resist the power of the demon.

"Give into it. You've been a failure as a human. Your mother was killed to mark you," the demon taunted as it morphed into Mary Winchester then spoke in her voice.

"You were meant to be greater than a Winchester," the demon said as Mary.

Dean stared in wide-eyed horror at seeing their mother again, speaking again, but knowing it wasn't her talking.

"Mom?" Sam said with a little boy's tremor in his voice.

"Don't let my death be a waste, Sammy," it spoke in the dulcet tones of a mother talking lovingly to her son.

"No, Sammy, it's not Mom, don't listen to –" Dean threw his head back and screamed in agony.

Dean turned to Haley, Andrea and Lucas, "Get. Out. Now! Don't. Look. Back. Hurry!"

Torn between wanting to stay yet knowing they couldn't do anything to help, the three rushed out of the house together, leaving Bobby, Sam and Dean behind to battle the demon alone.

"You were always a disappointment to your father," the demon said as Mary as it morphed into John Winchester. "You never wanted this life. You fought me all the way. Maybe I should have seen from the beginning that you weren't really a Winchester, that you were really a monster."

Sam clenched his eyes closed in agony, both from the physical pain he was feeling as well as the emotions of guilt, loss, anger, and hatred that began to rise.

Dean saw their father and longed for him to really be there for them, not the facsimile that didn't even measure up to the real man.

"Sammy, listen to me…" Dean pleaded, continuing to battle back his pain. "It's not Dad. Don't believe a word of what this thing is telling you."

But Sam could only moan in reply and Dean wasn't sure he was getting through to him.

"Worst of all, it's your fault Dean is going to die," it taunted again, morphing into Dean this time. "I never thought my life was worth more than yours so it made making the deal so easy. Everything was about you. I sacrificed so much for you, my life and now even my soul."

"Dean, I know you did…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…I didn't want this…" Sam pleaded.

Dean's face contorted with fury that the demon would use his presence, his voice to mess with Sam's head. He wouldn't have that.

"Sammy! No! That isn't me talking. None of this is your fault. You can fight this. Remember, you're my kick ass little brother, you can do anything. Come on, man, fight it. I know you can," Dean encouraged.

Suddenly the front door blew open and Meg stood smiling with gratification.

"Couldn't miss this place. It practically glows," she said as she looked over and watched the scene before her. Her eyes naturally drifted to where Dean was.

"Dean! Watch out!" Bobby yelled when he saw Meg.

Meg extended her hand and in an instant, Bobby flew across the room. He bounced off of one of the bookcases then hit his head on the edge of one of the shelves and was knocked unconscious. She looked down to see the broken salt line and crossed over effortlessly.

Dean turned at Bobby's warning and saw Meg. He drew his gun up to shoot, but she easily flipped it out of his hands. Dean felt the pain ignite his nerve endings and could only throw an angry look at her.

"How you feeling there, Dean? You look like Hell. Guess you'll fit right in," Meg laughed.

She surveyed the surroundings and continued to smile. She looked over at the demon and tipped her head in acknowledgment.

"Looks like Sam is just one step away from becoming the heir to my father's army and you're not that much farther away from going to Hell yourself. Do I have timing or what?" Meg gloated.

Dean knew that his only chance lay with Sam. He had to get through to him. He turned away from Meg, hoping he could muster whatever reserves he had left to help Sam. He was feeling his energy fading and no amount of resistance was working anymore. He couldn't stop the pain or keep the weakness that was enveloping him at bay anymore. He suspected that whatever Meg was doing to him was finally taking its toll on his body and it was slowly surrendering. It scared Dean to leave Sam alone when Sam needed him the most, but he was helpless to stop it. Still, he was determined to make his last act count so he'd know that he did all he could for Sam before he headed to Hell.

"Sammy! Can you hear me?" Dean called out with every ounce of strength he had. "Sammy, listen to me, don't give in to that monster's tricks. Believe me when I tell you, you have NEVER failed me and you never will…damn…it."

Dean cursed as he felt himself losing the battle to fend off the darkness that was enveloping him. He was struggling to take every breath, but his spirit was doggedly refusing to be taken until he was done with what he needed to do.

"Don't let them make you believe that you're a demon or that you're evil because you're not and you never will be, you hear me? You're Mom and Dad's youngest son. You're my little brother. You are the best person I have ever known. You've saved so many lives. You saved me…" Dean clenched in pain. "You've been saving me all my life, from the moment you were born, Sammy. You've…kept me from giving up when I wanted to so many times. You thought I was sacrificing for you…I wasn't…I needed you to keep me sane…whole…brave…I'd do anything for you…It's never been about sacrifice…not for me…"

Dean braced himself against a chair as he began to drop to his knees, barely able to catch a breath, "Don't let them win, Sammy…You're my brother…you'll always be my brother…you're Sam Winchester, don't you ever forget that."

Dean felt himself collapse slowly down to the floor, his grip on the chair loosening. He had nothing left. He had to hope that it would be enough.

Three breaths...his eyes took one more glance at his brother and smiled. The last one he would ever have. He stiffened in what he hoped will be the last spasm of pain.

Two breaths…his eyes fluttered reluctantly closed. No regrets. Sam would make it…he knew it…felt it somehow. A moan escaped.

One last, long, ragged breath, he lay fully onto the floor and stilled.

**oooo**

**TBC**

**Thanks to Tiffany for beta-ing this story and for keeping the inspiration going. Thanks for reading, everyone! Hope you're enjoying it!**


	9. Chapter 9

**All the Time in the World**

**CHAPTER NINE:**

Sam suddenly felt a cold, icy chill run through his body and then a searing pain shot through his chest, his heart felt as if it were being sliced in half. It took him by surprise and he cried out. Suddenly he realized what he was feeling. He opened his eyes wide and glanced over to where Dean had once stood, and saw, instead, Dean's body, unmoving and lifeless. Rage and immeasurable loss flooded him and all he could do was roar Dean's name.

"DEAN? DEAN! NOOOOOOO!" Sam screamed in torment, his eyes flashing a bright yellow-gold.

Bobby awoke to Sam's wail of pain, and shook his head to clear it, trying to recall what had happened. He looked over to where he had last seen Dean and found him on the floor, ashen, still. All he could utter was, "No…" in a hushed tone so quiet, only he, himself, could hear it. Bobby crawled over to Dean's body. He felt for a pulse and was crushed not to find one. "Damn it, Dean…"

Bobby cupped Dean's face as he had in the yard when Dean had told him that he couldn't let Sam die.

"I'm sorry, Dean. I'm so sorry," Bobby apologized, tears welling in his eyes, his soul filling with abject failure and grief. He had never felt so defeated in his entire life.

Meg just watched in satisfaction, having successfully taken her long desired revenge on the Winchester family, especially Dean. All that was left was for Sam to take over her father's army and the defeat of the Winchesters would be complete. She smiled, relishing her victory.

Sam straightened to his full six-foot-four-inch height, and turned to glare ominously at Meg. He lifted his right hand and squeezed it into a fist.

Meg suddenly began to choke, a look of surprise and fear etched on her face as she saw what Sam was doing. She grabbed at her throat, uselessly trying to pry the invisible fingers from it and failing.

"Leave that body!" Sam commanded, his voice deep and menacing. "Leave it NOW!"

Meg struggled and flailed as she felt herself being lifted from the floor. She was terrified of Sam's power and agony filled her as she felt herself being pulled from the host body by a force she couldn't resist. Finally, no longer able to keep hold of it, she let go and her essence fled from the body in a black mist. Sam deftly laid the innocent's body gently down to the floor and snatched Meg from the air as if she were a fly. He tightened his grip to keep her within his grasp. Then, he turned to the demon.

"This is the demon that killed my brother before his contract was due," Sam said. His voice quavered with emotion, but he quickly swallowed it back. "She violated the terms and now his soul is no longer yours to claim. Rescind the contract and bring Dean back and I will hand her over to you to inflict whatever punishment you want. I'll also release you. All I want is my brother back, his soul intact. If you choose not to rescind it, you will see devastation as you have never known, as no demon on Earth or Hell has ever seen. I will exact payment for my brother's death on every demon that crosses my path. And they will come. I've been marked as their leader, but I won't lead them as they think. I will destroy each and every one of them. As my brother would say, it'll be like shooting fish in a barrel."

Sam's face betrayed his pain and loss for a moment, but then it revealed the same kind of determination that Dean's face possessed when faced with a battle he was convinced he would win.

"I will NEVER serve evil. I will eradicate it from existence. I'm Dean Winchester's brother."

Bobby looked over at Sam and watched in awe at Sam's dominance over Meg and the demon. His power was overwhelming, yet, Bobby had seen in Sam's eyes, the Sam that was Dean's little brother. He was still there and he was calling the shots. There was grief, loss, and even hatred, but it was measured with love for a big brother who had taught him about fighting for all things good and innocent. A big brother who had taught him to understand and respect the weight of responsibility that they'd been given and that it had always been about saving people first. Bobby couldn't help but smile. Sam's soul was intact.

"What do you say?" Sam demanded again.

The demon felt the power grow in Sam and it knew his threats were not idle ones. He would be true to his word and carry each one of them out with maximum prejudice. There was only one solution. Sam Winchester would be a danger to the demon world. He had been tainted by his family's humanity, more strongly, by his brother's heroism and nobility. He would never rule the demon army. He would destroy it.

"I agree to your terms," It said.

"Bring back my brother first, whole and intact," Sam insisted. "Now!"

The demon nodded. It extended what could pass for an arm and a stream of energy left it and slipped into Dean. Dean's body arched with the energy. Dean gasped for breath then started to cough. Bobby held him to keep him steadied.

Sam watched his big brother start to breathe again and despite the yellow-gold glow, his eyes were filled with tears at seeing him alive again. He only allowed himself to savor the moment for a minute before he turned back to the demon.

"I'll honor my end now," Sam said as he threw Meg's essence back at the demon and It caught it. Sam then began chanting in Latin, no longer needing any of Bobby's reference books. The whirlwind returned and began to deconstruct the demon back to its original amorphous form until finally it disappeared. At last, Sam collapsed and the room fell silent.

"Bobby, check on Sam!" Dean said, his voice hoarse.

Bobby nodded then went over to Sam. Dean slowly tested his body to see if it was in any shape to get him up and standing. As he tried to lift himself from the floor, he got his answer. His legs immediately gave way and the world started going grey in front of him. He closed his eyes and took in a few breaths. He decided that the best thing he could do was rest for a minute.

"Bobby? How's Sam?" Dean called out, feeling himself slowly losing consciousness again, but needing to know.

"He's alive, Dean and he seems okay, just unconscious."

Dean leaned back on the couch and could only mouth, "Thank, God" before he let the darkness overtake him.

**oooo**

Bobby carried the Winchester brothers into one of his spare bedrooms and gave each their own twin bed to sleep on. He had decided to let them sleep for as long as they needed as well as keep them together in one room. He knew that the first thing on both their minds when they woke up would be how the other was. Best to have them wake up and find each other safe and asleep. He had also carried the innocent host that Meg had possessed into another room for her to rest. He'd have some explaining to do with her. How do you tell someone they'd been possessed by a demon? Bobby hoped the right words would come to him when the time came.

He returned to his living room or what was left of it. He took in a deep sigh as he took off his cap and scratched his head. _Clean up is going to be a bitch_, Bobby thought to himself.

He then heard a knock on his front door. He took Dean's gun from the floor and approached with caution. He flipped the door open and quickly aimed to shoot whatever was there. When he saw Haley, Andrea and Lucas standing there, he was taken completely by surprise.

"What are you guys still doing here? I thought Dean told you to get out of here?" Bobby softly scolded as he relaxed his stance.

"We did, but we couldn't leave you. We knew there was nothing we could've done if things had gone bad, but we just couldn't leave you," Haley said, her voice filled with concern. "We hid in your yard, far enough away to hopefully stay safe, but close enough to hear what was happening. When things got quiet, we decided to chance coming back."

Bobby shook his head, but smiled too. He admired the courage and loyalty he saw in all three of them.

"Plus, Lucas, he saw Dean die then come back and he needed to know that he was all right," Andrea explained.

"What happened?" Haley asked.

"Come on inside and I'll fill you in," Bobby said.

They all sat down on the couch as Bobby detailed what had gone on minutes before then reassured them that Dean and Sam were okay and asleep in one of his bedrooms. The three of them sighed with relief.

"Will they be all right?" Andrea asked this time.

"Yeh, I think it's all over. They're both safe now."

"Can we stay?" Lucas asked, anticipation in his voice tinged with concern for Sam and Dean.

"Lucas! Where are your manners?" Andrea gently scolded. "I'm sorry, Bobby."

Bobby looked into Lucas's eyes and saw the sincerity in them and couldn't refuse him.

"It's all right, Andrea. It ain't the Plaza, but I have room and all of you are welcome to stay. I don't know when the boys will come around," he offered.

Andrea nodded with gratitude, as did Haley.

"Why don't I show you where you can lay your head for now and rest up?"

"Can we help you clean up?" Andrea offered in return for Bobby's kindness.

"It can wait," Bobby said as he led them to his other spare rooms.

Bobby got everyone settled and returned to the living room. He was exhausted but satisfied. He looked at the disarray of his place and had to laugh. Anyone seeing him would think that he had gone off his rocker, but for him, he was laughing from sheer relief and triumph. Sam and Dean had come out of everything alive. In all his years as a hunter, he knew one thing for sure, demons had their version of a code that they had to live by and Sam had bargained effectively to release Dean from his contract, free and clear without loopholes. Dean had been given a new life. A life that Bobby was determined to convince Dean was worth everything. As for Sam, Bobby wasn't afraid of his transformation. He had seen that throughout it all, Sam had held onto to who he was and had been in control the entire time. They'd have to figure out together if the powers he possessed were permanent, but they had all the time in the world now to do that. As Bobby started to clean things up, he smiled at the enjoyment of doing something mundane like housework. He then thought back to the joy Dean had felt polishing the Impala. Normal, at least for now, was just what Bobby needed. It was a nice feeling.

**oooo**

Sam woke up feeling like he had hit a wall several times. Every part of his body ached and he had the worst headache he had ever had. All the visions he had experienced the last year hadn't left him in so much in pain and so clouded. He opened his eyes, squinting in preparation for light, but found that he was in a semi-darkened room. He sighed with relief and opened them even further. He felt disoriented and his memory was fuzzy. He struggled to recall the last thing that had happened to him, but his brain was choosing to be uncooperative. He couldn't blame it, he supposed, considering how much it hurt. Maybe he had suffered a concussion. He surveyed where he was and realized that he wasn't in a motel room, it was too personalized with books and nondescript paraphernalia. The first thought that came to him just then was "Where's Dean?" He tried sitting up to get a better view of where he was. A wave of dizziness hit him, but he managed to keep from passing out. He squeezed his eyes closed until the sensation passed. When it did, he opened them again. It was then that he got the answer to his question and it took his breath away.

There was Dean, lying on the bed next to his, quiet, unmoving, and his eyes closed. Suddenly, some of Sam's memories crashed back in a jumbled rush. The demon, Meg, Dean dying…

"No…" Sam uttered in hushed shock. "No, it can't be…"

Sam's emotions came bubbling back as well. He had heard Dean's last words to him just before he had died, urging him to believe in himself and not to give into the demon's taunts. Sam's eyes filled with tears.

"No…Dean…I'm sorry…I failed…I didn't save you," Sam choked with emotion, "I couldn't stop it."

Sam watched his brother's still form, feeling overwhelmed with loss and grief. Then he heard it. A small groan, it was coming from Dean. Sam rushed over to him.

"Dean? Dean, are you okay?"

Dean was disoriented as well and feeling his own share of pain. Through the haze of pain though, he heard Sam's voice and wondered if he was imagining things…or worse yet that he was in Hell.

"Sam?" Dean croaked, "Is that you or am I in –"

"No, Dean, you're not in Hell," Sam quickly assured with a smile, paused for a second then said, "you saved me."

Dean looked into Sam's teary eyes and found his own eyes welling up. Sam was alive. That was all that mattered to him. He let out a sigh. He saw the relief in Sam's eyes among the tears and it was reflected in his own.

"No, Sam, you got that wrong," Dean said, a small, trembling smile came to his face. "You saved me."

Dean noticed that Sam was grimacing then realized how wrecked he looked. Dean's expression went from happy to see him alive to worried about Sam's injuries.

"Are you okay?" Dean asked, concern for Sam always a priority.

"Other than being sore, I'm good. You?"

Dean tried to sit up and he managed to do it with Sam's assistance, but groaned all the way.

"I'll see your sore and raise you worst-pain-I've-felt-ever-in-my-life. How's that?" Dean joked.

Sam couldn't keep the laughter from escaping. He patted Dean on the chest, causing Dean to grunt and yelp.

"Guess that means you have me beat," Sam said as he sat next to Dean on the bed.

"Very funny," Dean said, letting a smile reach his face as well.

The bedroom door creaked open and Bobby walked in, joy on his face at seeing both men alive and awake.

"Thought I heard some thing in here. I was beginning to wonder when you boys were going to wake up," Bobby teased.

"Bobby, are you okay?" Dean asked, again, concern etching his face.

"Never better," Bobby replied with a broad smile.

"Bobby, can you fill in some of the gaps for us? We know some stuff, but the rest is kind of fuzzy. What really happened?" Sam asked.

"What do you remember?" Bobby asked.

"Sam/Dean saving me," the two brothers chorused in that psychic way they had.

Bobby could only chuckle.

"Well, that's a start. Come on, get up and I'll fix us something then give you the details," Bobby said. "Haley, Andrea and Lucas are here too. They came back to make sure you two were okay."

The two brothers looked at each other askance then helped each other up like they were two old men and followed Bobby, slowly, grimacing with each step they took. Dean was the first to bat Sam's hands away in protest for offering any help.

"I don't need a nurse," Dean objected.

Sam could only smile.

"Jerk."

"Bitch."

**oooo**

**TBC**

**Thanks to Tiffany for beta-ing this story and for keeping the inspiration going. Thanks for reading, everyone! Hope you're enjoying it!**


	10. Chapter 10

**All the Time in the World**

**CHAPTER TEN:**

Haley, Andrea, Lucas and Samantha, the woman who had been Meg's host, sat in Bobby's living room, discussing all they had seen and experienced. Dean and Sam walked in and were greeted with smiles and relief, with the exception of Samantha who still looked scared and confused. Bobby caught her look and decided it was time to find a way to explain what she had gone through. He walked over to her and gave her a small reassuring smile.

"Let's you and I have a talk," Bobby invited gently and guided her into his kitchen.

After they left the room, Lucas's face lit up with excitement at seeing both Sam and Dean alive. He broke from his mother's side to run up to them.

"Dean!! You're okay!!!" Lucas exclaimed as he hugged his legs.

Dean wished he could lift him into his arms, but he knew his limitations and realized that he was lucky just to be standing.

"Hey, there Lucas, buddy, you okay? Are all of you okay?" Dean asked.

"We're all okay, Dean!" Lucas said. "We were worried about you and Sam."

"We're good, Lucas, sore, but good," Dean reassured.

Dean and Sam slowly eased themselves into some chairs. Haley and Andrea could help, but giggle to each other, watching the brothers' faces as they grimaced.

"Bobby told us what happened," Haley said. "I mean what we saw…"

"Yeh, pretty amazing. Even for us," Sam said.

"So Dean's free from the contract?" Haley asked, hope evident in her voice and expression,

"Yeh, thanks to Sam, I'm back in business," Dean said, wanting to give credit where it was due.

Dean looked towards him and Sam could only give him a shaky little smile then said, "I didn't do it alone."

Lucas came up to Dean, "I'm glad what I saw didn't happen."

"Me too, Lucas, but I couldn't have made it without you, all of you," Dean said as he scanned across everyone's faces, lingering on Haley's, giving her a smile. "It meant a lot that you'd put yourselves on the line like that for me."

Dean paused. He felt humbled by his feelings of appreciation for everyone. "I won't forget it. Thanks."

Sam watched Dean and smiled. He loved watching his brother reluctantly accept help from others. The depth of his appreciation was honest. He had hoped that it would make Dean see just how important he was to them, and even more so to little brother.

The two women smiled and Lucas gave Dean another hug.

"Well, I guess we better head back," Andrea said.

"Yeh, I guess our work here is done," Haley agreed with a touch of humor.

Lucas looked at Dean and asked, "Dean, can I talk to you again before we leave?"

Sam picked up that Lucas wanted to talk to Dean alone and rose from his chair.

"Why don't I walk you back to your cars?" he offered.

The women smiled with understanding. When they left the room, Dean gave Lucas a puzzled and worried look.

"What is it, Lucas? Are you sure everything is okay?"

"Oh, yeh, it is, I promise, it's just that I needed to ask you something."

"Oh, okay, shoot. Ask away."

"Do you ever want to become a dad?"

Of all the questions Lucas could have asked, this was the very last thing Dean would have expected, in fact, it wasn't even on his radar.

"What?"

"'Cuz I think you'd make a great dad," Lucas said, an earnest smile on his face.

Dean heaved a sigh. Lucas was just letting him know that Dean felt like a father to him.

"Thanks, Lucas, that really means a lot."

"Well, do you? I mean, want to be a dad?"

Dean had never thought about it. Again, it had never been on his radar. He had always envisioned Sam becoming a father before him and truth be told, he never thought he ever would. He thought of himself as too tainted by what he had seen to be a good father. Still, it felt nice to be told by a little boy that he thought he would be a good one.

"I really hadn't thought about it much, to tell you the truth."

"Well, if you do, you know, think about it, I know you'd make a good dad."

"And how do you know that, kiddo?" Dean teased as he ruffled Lucas's hair.

"Because I saw it in a vision."

Dean was then really taken by surprise. If Lucas had seen it in a vision, then that meant…

"You did, huh?" Dean said, trying not to sound too freaked about it.

"Yeh. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that," Lucas claimed proudly.

"Oh, okay, thanks, Lucas."

"Oh, one more thing," Lucas said before he turned toward the door.

"What's that?"

"Do you like Haley?"

Dean felt his jaw drop in shock.

"Just asking," Lucas said, giggling as he turned and left the room.

"What just happened here?" Dean asked to an empty room then his eyes widened a little and a small smirk came to his lips.

"Haley! Wait up," he called as he hobbled to the front door.

**Fin.**

**oooo**

**Hope everyone enjoyed the story. Thanks again to Tiffany for beta-ing this story and for keeping the inspiration going. Thanks for reading and for your great reviews! I've loved them all! **


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